The Demon's Crew
by lilyflower666
Summary: After a tragic car accident, Yugi is left alone in the world with no family left. Though, alone he doesn't remain for long as he accidentally catches the eyes of the leader of a gang called the Demon's. When Yugi accidentally runs into Atem in an alleyway, it's flight or. More summary inside.
1. Prologue

_After a tragic car accident, Yugi is left alone in the world with no family left. Though, alone he doesn't remain for long as he accidentally catches the eyes of the leader of a gang called the Demon's. When Yugi accidentally runs into Atem in an alleyway, it's flight or flight for him. But which way should he run? Into the arms of his new adversary or the arms of his friends who somehow seem to know the leader of the gang?_

**Yeah, I know, I'm bad. But this story has been bouncing around in my head all weekend so I typed up the part I wrote down. Don't worry I'll still continue to work on The Yami in his corner, I'm not ditching it, plus that would be very cruel to all my readers if I did. Right, I do not own Yugioh, enjoy!**

The Demon's Crew

Prologue: Are four scenes in a three day period space of time. When the words start to repeat themselves that means it is at the end of that scene…scene…scene…scene.

"Grandpa I got in, I got into Tokyo University! I also got that scholarship too!" Yugi exclaimed as soon as he walked through the front door of the Kame Game Shop.

"Oh, Yugi I'm so happy for you!" his Grandpa said back in a just as excited voice.

"I'm happy for me too, now I can go to college just like we've always planned!" Yugi cried with tears of joy leaking from his eyes.

"Yes, oh Yugi, I'm so proud…so proud…proud…proud…proud." His grandpa said giving the boy a hug, tears of joy leaking from his own eyes.

[End of day one]

"Happy Birthday Yugi!" a large group of people shouted as they watched him blow out his candles on his cake.

"Thanks guys." Yugi said smiling at them all. He couldn't believe he was 18 already.

"Alright Mutou, I've got 20 minutes to spare. Let's make this celebration of yours quick." Kaiba said in a brisk voice, like just being here was a waste of his time.

"Geez Kaiba, don't make me feel important or anything." Yugi responded smiling at the taller teen.

"I could have zero minutes to spare Mutou." Kaiba said his eyes narrowing slightly at Yugi.

"Alright, take it easy hot shot, but since you have the time, do you want to duel?" Yugi said raising his hands slightly in defeat.

20 minutes later….

"Victory goes to the undefeated champ!" Jou said as Yugi wiped out the last of Kaiba's life points with his Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl.

"I think you cheated." Kaiba said in a half joking tone.

"You always think I cheat." Yugi replied laughing slightly.

"Will you ever let me defeat you?" Kaiba asked with a hint of jealousy in his voice.

"I'm not called the King of Games for nothing." Yugi replied back simply.

"Oh haha, very funny…funny…funny…funny." Kaiba said smiling himself a bit as he got up to leave.

No one noticed Yugi's Grandpa watching from the hallway, smiling at the scene before him.

[End of day two]

"Just be careful Grandpa, they said that this trip is a little dangerous." Yugi said with worry lacing his tone as he helped his Grandpa pack his bag.

"Don't worry Yugi, I will be." His Grandpa replied as he zipped the bag up.

"So you're only going to Egypt for a week, and then you'll be back?" Yugi asked his Grandpa, for what seemed like the thousandth time to the old man.

"Yes, Yugi, I'm only going to be gone for a week." His Grandpa replied tiredly.

"Alright, make sure to be extra careful, okay?" Yugi asked worry deep in his voice. Something his Grandpa didn't miss.

"Why do you keep telling me to be careful, Yugi?" His Grandpa asked him.

"I don't know. I just feel like something bad is going to happen today…something bad today…bad today…today…today…today." Yugi said looking at the ground before looking back up at his Grandpa.

The two shared a hug, and Yugi's Grandpa walked out the front door towards his car. Yugi watched as his Grandpa got in the car, waved goodbye, and then drove off around the corner. Yugi walked to school, all the way worrying about what he was so worried about.

[Later that day]

"No! Grandpa, you can't leave me! I only just turned 18! You can't die Grandpa! Please come back! Don't leave me here all alone! Grandpa don't go! Grandpa! Grandpa…Grandpa…Grandpa." Yugi cried at his Grandpa's hospital bed as the heart monitor continued to whine, signaling the end of the old man's life.

Yugi had been right to worry about his Grandpa. A few blocks from their home a semi ran a red light and straight into his Grandpa's car. The Semi driver was able to walk away, but Yugi's Grandpa didn't even have a chance of survival. The car had been bent in half, and the side of the car that the semi had hit had been the driver's. Yugi's Grandpa had been killed on impact, leaving Yugi alone in the world, even if he hadn't meant to. The fact remained, Yugi had no family left in the world, he was completely alone. Though, alone he wouldn't stay for very long.

**Please review, if you want to use vulgarity I suggest you look at My Profile page first, your key of acceptable swears are there, or will be in a few minutes. Midnight ;p**


	2. Depressionville

**This is a ****_really_**** short chapter, but they will get longer promise. In the mean time be happy with what you get. Right I do not own Yugioh, enjoy!**

Chapter 1

It had been one week since the accident and Yugi was meant to spend time with his friends in the park. They had planed it for him, something about turning a frown upside down and getting out of depressionville. Or at least that's what the excuses they fed him at the time were. Now however, they had all cancelled on him.

He had arrived at the park five minutes early only for his phone to light up in that span of time to read the texts from _every_ _one_ of his friends saying they could no longer make it. Yugi stared at his phone in disbelief after the last of the texts came through. Now even Ryou and Malik couldn't make it, something about needing to cram last minute for a test.

Now Yugi would have been fine excepting this excuse under different circumstances, but Ryou, Malik, and Yugi all shared the same classes. There _wasn't_ a test tomorrow in _any_ of their classes, so those two had straight up lied to Yugi without even thinking.

Yugi shoved his phone back into his jeans pocket and started to walk back out of the park. He had almost exited the park when he ran into a wide chest, effectively knocking him to the ground.

"Well, look what we have here boys, it's the Shrimp." A voice said from above Yugi.

Yugi stopped rubbing his head as his hand froze, his eyes opening wide. He knew that voice, he knew that voice very well, Ushio. Yugi slowly looked up to see Ushio grinning in a predatory way down at him. Smiling nervously back, Yugi crawled through Ushio's legs, got up and ran away.

"Hey, get back here!" Yugi heard Ushio cry out from behind him.

Yugi heard the Ushio and his two sidekicks chasing after him. He knew that if he could just make it to _that_ alleyway, he could lose them. He always lost them there because it was like a labyrinth, if you didn't know the way out, you were sure to get lost.

Yugi dodged around people as he made a mad dash for the safety of the alley. Behind him he heard complaints of the people that Ushio and his buddies ran into, without a care of any potential damage they could be causing to them. Yugi ducked into his alleyway, and ran down it taking sharp turns until he was deep within its maze. Only when Yugi passed the dumpster with the words 'KGS two blocks to the right', graffiti on it did he slow down, he was almost home.

He also felt that it was safe enough to rant to the high heavens. That turned out to be a mistake, and one he was definitely going to regret. A little ways away from his home there was a warehouse that had a few lights on, and a very private meeting with a dangerous gang was happening inside.

**Thanks to everyone who have/are favorited/following this story. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review with good digression. Midnight ;p**


	3. The first meeting

**Tis longer this one, just like I promised. I do not own Yugioh, enjoy.**

Chapter 2

"I mean first they _insist_ that I go, and then _they_ don't even bother to show up! Then I get a text from Ryou and Malik saying they need to cram for a _test_. Hello, we don't _have_ any tests coming up this week. Uh, have you guys _forgotten_ that we share the same classes? I think you might of, because we _do_! What was the point of going in the first place? I'd have much rather been at home, tending to the Shop or just chilling on the couch. Or catching up on sleep, that would have been pretty nice. But, _no_, instead I go to the park, where they don't show up but the _bullies_ do. How is it that they always seem to be around whenever I'm _alone_? I swear they have a 'he's alone now' alarm on them or something. Can this day get any wor-woah!" Yugi was so busy talking at the thin air he didn't see the trash can until he was walking, err tripping, up on it.

"I don't care Kaiba, just see that it gets done!" a man yelled at another.

This man had star shaped hair; with blonde lightning streaks framing his face and going back into the jet black color of his hair, before brushing the crimson colored tips. His face was sharp and narrow with crimson eyes that just demanded to be paid attention to.

"You're talking about the school that most of us, including myself, attend Atem. I'm sorry, but I can't do that, it would be too much of a risk." The other man responded back.

This man was tall and had a cold air about him. He had brown hair and sapphire blue eyes, which just seemed to glow with a strange icy hue to them. It only helped to fit with the already cold air he had around him.

"I don't care about the ri-. What's that noise?" Atem started to say before stiffening and standing up straight. He turned to look towards the entrance of the warehouse, as did everyone else in the room.

"I swear they have a 'he's alone now' alarm on them or something. Can this day get any wor-woah!" they heard someone say as they were walking past the entrance of the warehouse, before a loud noise filled the entire alley plus the area they were in.

_Crash! Bang! Clatter! Thump! Groan…_

Five out of the nine people there gasped when they heard the voice, before wincing when they heard the noise that followed. That was going to leave a nasty mark tomorrow, and this time Yugi wouldn't be lying when he said he tripped.

"Yugi." A boy with soft snow white hair and gentle soft brown eyes whispered softly out. Unfortunately for him, Atem heard his voice, though not what was said.

"What was that Ryou?" Atem asked looking in his direction.

"Poor thing, it sounds like he's had a rough day, maybe we should cut him a break?" Ryou said though it sounded more like a question.

"Tch, yeah right. Bakura, Marik, Otogi, guard the doors in the back; make sure there aren't any more _visitors_ in the area. I'm going to check on our little _friend_ in the front." Atem said taking a gun out of the waist of his jeans, and heading towards the front of the warehouse.

"Atem, cousin, is this really necessary? I mean it sounds as if he's just passing through, taking a shortcut home even. Why make things even messier when they can just remain as simple as they are?" Kaiba asked him, bringing to a halt to look back questioningly at his cousin.

"Since when have you ever cared about anybody except that lot over there?" Atem asked nodding his head towards a pack of teenagers.

"I've always cared, I've just seen no reason to show it." he said back casually, like it was no big deal.

"Great, so don't do so this time either." Atem responded back before making his way out of the warehouse all together.

"You tried Kaiba, that's all we could have asked for." Ryou said quietly.

"It's not enough, we need to _do_ something. We all swore that Yugi and Atem must never cross paths, they'd _ruin_ each other. Jou! Malik! Use a side door, get him out of here!" Kaiba ordered towards two other males.

Both looked up at him, before nodding, and headed off to do their task. One had shaggy blonde hair and a rich color of honey for his shade of eye color. The other had jagged blonde hair and a light, but strong, violet color for his eyes.

Atem stuck his head out the warehouse doors before making his way to the left to see a boy just getting up off the asphalt. He quietly made his way up behind, before placing the gun right above him and pointing it down into his face. His eyes were closed so he didn't know he _had_ a gun in his face, but he would as soon as Atem spoke up, that he was sure of.

"Ow. So talking, walking, and not looking where I'm going? Not such a good idea." Yugi said quietly, still unaware of the danger he was in.

Yugi started to get up, but before he could so much as really move into a sitting position a voice from right above him spoke up.

"Don't move or run, and I promise I won't shoot you where you lie." Atem said quietly at the boy, whose eyes immediately sprung open.

Yugi's eyes snapped open at the intimidating voice from above him. He was immediately met with the sight of a Black Hand Gun right between his eyes. Yugi wasn't going anywhere; he was too scared to move. Instead he just lay there staring at the gun, unaware that the person above him was staring at him.

Atem was astounded at this boy's beauty. When his eyes opened he couldn't help but stare at them as they seemed to draw him in, almost as if gravity was pulling him downward, even though he hadn't actually moved. By default this made him look at the rest of the boys face. He seemed to have pale skin like the white sands of a beach, a roses pink petal lips, and the color of amethyst gems for eyes. The boy was beautiful, so how was it possible for him to still be walking around in this neighborhood. Better yet, why had Atem never seen him before?

As soon as Yugi realized that the person above him was staring at him, and not really paying attention, he took a turn to look at him too. Though the minute his eyes connected with Atem's crimson ones, he kind of lost it, and screamed.

"D-D-D-DEMON! DEMON WITH A GUN! DEMON WITH A GUN!" Yugi screamed at the top of his lungs. And with Atem being in such a close space with him, the loud noises snapped him back, as well as cover his ears, therefore taking the gun away from Yugi's face.

As soon as the gun was no longer in Yugi's face he jumped up and ran past Atem, though he hadn't stopped screaming. As a result, everyone inside and outside of the warehouse knew his location including the bullies who were still pursuing him.

"DEMON WITH A GUN! THE DEMON HAS A GUN! HE HAS A- BULLIES! BULLIES! DEMON, BULLIES, DEMON, BULLIES, DE-LADDER!" Yugi ran around the corner only to come back a second later. He started to turn this way and that before noticing a ladder to the roof of the building right in front of him.

Quickly grabbing a hold of the ladder, Yugi shimmied his way up it, before rapidly climbing up it, and disappearing at the top. Not a moment too soon either, because the bullies rounded the corner to see the back a figure that looked strikingly similar to Yugi's. Without even seeing if it really was him first, because they were so annoyed at having to chase and then find him, Ushio just walked right up and punched him right in between his shoulder blades.

If this had been Yugi, he would have gone down with a grunt of pain, but this wasn't Yugi, this was Atem. They were kind of different in both strength and the amount of pain they could handle, as a result Ushio was quite surprised when, who he thought was Yugi, only stumbled a bit.

Atem felt a large fist punch him in the square of his back, and after losing the boy, he was kind of looking for someone to vent his anger on. The baka behind him seemed to be a good target, so without even a warning Atem spun around and shot his gun right between the large man's eyes.

The man fell to the ground, as Bakura and Marik took out the other two. All three shots rang out like sirens in the night, calling for everybody's attention. Though the only attention they seemed catch were the ones in the warehouse as they all came running out to see who was shot. Atem could almost see the relief on their faces as they saw that it wasn't the boy that had walked by earlier.

"Where's the kid Atem?" Bakura asked putting his gun away, Marik was doing the same.

"No idea, but he sure can scream can't he?" Atem said back with a small smirk gracing his features, as he too put his gun away.

"That he can. Well at least he won't have to worry about these bullies anymore, we've seen to that." Marik said leaning against the alley wall, and nudging one of the corpses with his feet.

"Indeed, but we do still have to find him. He intrigues me." Atem said seriously before whispering the last part out.

Yugi took deep breathes after jumping from that roof to his own. Just as he was getting his breathing back to normal, a gunshot followed by two more rang out in the silent night air. Yugi's thoughts immediately sprang to Ushio and his friends, and he couldn't help but feel as if it was his fault. Yeah sure they had picked on him for years, but that didn't mean he was heartless. He had led them down that alleyway, and now they were either dead or mortally wounded because of him.

Yugi sat on his roof in the chilly night air crying for an hour or two before working his way down to the sky light right above his bedroom, opened it, and slipped inside to land gently on his bed. Yugi wasn't feeling much of anything but a numbing sensation which he took gladly, and drifted off into a restless sleep. His dreams full of guns, red eyes, and dead bodies. It was easy to say that Yugi was anything _but_ rested when he awoke for school the next morning.

**I really should be working on the other one, but I'm facing a bit of writers block on it. Where ease this one, not at all! Well in any case, thank you to all of those who have/are favorited/following this story. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review! Swear...don't swear...I don't give a flip jack anymore, just review. Midnight ;p**


	4. Two plans and an idea

**Sorry it took so long, but I am working on more than one story, so that's my excuse. Right, I do not own Yugioh, enjoy!**

Chapter 3

"Why do you lot almost look relieved?" Atem asked as soon as they were back in the warehouse.

"The kid goes to our school, but he's a total loner." Kaiba explained.

"Yeah, and you've only taken out three of his seven bullies for him." Honda went on.

Honda was a tall male with pointed brown hair, and light brown eyes, which had a hard look to them. It was almost as if he had seen too much, but not enough to make him grow as cold as Kaiba already was.

"Really? Well perhaps the kid will lead them down this way next, hm?" Bakura said in a joking manner.

Bakura looked like the one named Ryou only his hair had a more silvery color to it, whereas Ryou's was just a stark white. His eyes were a dark russet brown, while Ryou's a gentle soft brown color. It was safe to say that the two boys were born on opposite sides of the coin.

"Hey Atem! I caught these two trying to sneak out a side door, and you'll never guess which one it was." A voice shouted out as Jou and Malik were thrown to the floor in front of the group.

The one that had spoken up has name Otogi. He had dark raven black hair, and captivating green eyes. Jou had shaggy blonde hair, and eyes that looked like melted honey. Malik had sandy blonde hair, and a light shade of violet eyes, that had some edge to them. He was the one called Marik's look alike. Marik too had sandy blonde hair, only his was a bit wilder, and his eyes were a dark shade of violet, that made most want to turn and run from the crazy look they sometimes gave off.

"Really? Was it the right side door by any chance, the one closest to the kid?" Atem asked in a casual manner as he picked some dirt out from underneath a fingernail.

"You're much too good at this game, Atem." Otogi said back in a fake disappointed voice.

Atem looked up at Otogi with a slight smirk of amusement on his face, before looking down at the other two, where the smirk disappeared instantly. He walked over to the two boys on the ground and crouched down to their level. He lifted both of their heads up gently, but firmly, with his hands so they had no choice but to look at him.

"Who is he? Why are all of you so bent on protecting him?" Atem asked curiosity leaking through in his voice.

Atem really was curious. He had been running this neighborhood for two years and he had never seen the boy before. He would have thought that it would have been impossible for him to miss such a pretty face as the boy was sporting, but apparently he was wrong. He wanted to know why he was worth protecting in their eyes, and he wanted to know now.

"Chance Nadda, that's his name." Jou spit out, before Kaiba strode over and picked him up off the ground by the back of his jacket. Then he did the same for Malik.

"He has enough trouble and grief in his life. We believed the least we could do was save him the trouble of meeting _you_." Malik said answering his other question.

It was a good thing for Malik that Kaiba was fast. In one swift movement he had Malik behind him, and himself in between Atem and him. Atem really didn't like smart aleck comments.

"We're leaving Atem, before you do something stupid, like killing one of these high school students for instance." Kaiba said in a firm don't argue with me voice.

"Go, and Malik, try not be so much of a smart aleck." Atem said putting up his hands in defeat. He hated it when his cousin Kaiba made sense.

"I make no such guarantees, Lord Demon." Malik said back.

Atem turned and glared at Malik's back. He didn't care if Malik _had_ been with the group for only five months, he still didn't like being called the title that the newspapers had given him. Lord Demon indeed, just because he was the leader of The Demon's, they had titled him Lord Demon. He had never acted as anyone's overseeing Lord, so why they called him _that_, he hadn't a clue.

"Bakura, the kid, find out where he lives." Atem said turning around to see that Bakura already had his computer out.

"Already on it, what was the kids name again? I need his last and then first." Bakura said as he was pulling up things on his computer for a complete background check.

Kaiba wasn't the only one with high tech stuff. In fact Bakura had been the tech expert before Atem discovered he had a billionaire cousin, who knew more about computers then Bakura did. So Kaiba had taken over that job, but Bakura still did it when Atem asked.

"Nadda, Chance. Ha, don't even bother looking it up, we just got played. That was either some pretty good quick thinking, or they had planned that name for him in advance in case a situation like this ever occurred." Atem said with a rare smile playing about his lips.

"That was pretty smooth, especially the way that Jou spit it out. He made it seem like he didn't want to tell you it." Marik said thoughtfully.

"Should I bring them back?" Otogi asked pulling out his phone and flipping it open.

"Nah, we'll just pick the kid up at school tomorrow. After all, he's a loner; no one's going to miss him all that much." Atem said with a smirk.

Atem _highly_ doubted his own words. He had a good feeling that there were at least five students at that school that cared about him, and they would definitely notice if he went missing. So the best bet was to pick him up after the school day ended, better chance of getting away with him. Then again, his friends might want to walk him home, so he might have to have a backup plan just to get close to the kid.

"After school, _I'll_ pick him up then. Make sure the others are busy." Atem said coming to a decision. The others nodded in confirmation. Little did Atem know about the five though, they always had a backup for their backup.

"Chance Nadda, Jou? Why'd you give him that name?" Honda asked as soon as they were a couple of blocks from the warehouse.

"It's because if you put the last name first it says Nadda Chance. As soon as Atem tells Bakura to type that in, he'll know I just played him. Though, I think he'll think we all planned it. So I'm hoping that that is what goes through his mind when he hears it out loud." Jou said explaining to the others.

"Anyone think we should run a shadow checkup on Yugi?" Ryou asked softly.

"That's probably best, especially with the guns that went off, Ryou and I will go." Malik said grabbing the albino's hand and heading off to the Game Shop.

"Hey, Malik, Ryou, take the roundabout way, less likely that you're seen, the better." Kaiba suggested before they were out of sight and hearing.

Both nodded and then disappeared around the corner. The others waited a full five minutes before taking off again. They walked in silence until they heard footsteps running up behind them an hour and a half later. Jou and Honda immediately had their guns out, and pointing at the two figures, which froze. A second passed and Jou and Honda recognized them as Ryou and Malik, so they lowered their weapons and put them away. Ryou and Malik finished walking up to them, and they waited for the two to speak.

"Yugi was crying on the rooftop when we got there. He finally calmed down about a half hour ago, before he slipped into his room using the skylight. There wasn't any movement seen besides Yugi lying down, so we figured he went to sleep." Malik reported to the others, with Ryou nodding beside him.

"We watched him sleep for a few minutes before taking off. He was tossing and turning really bad, so he'll look like a walking zombie tomorrow. What are we going to do if Atem tries to get to him at school tomorrow?" Ryou explained further, before turning the topic over to the question everyone had been thinking about.

"If I know my cousin like I think I do, he'll try to get him after school, which means he'll have the others distract us, so he can make a quick grab. Malik, and Ryou, see if you can convince Yugi to stick with Rebecca, Anzu, and Vivian tomorrow, their cheerleaders so, they'll always be in their big group. Plus, everyone knows they created the Yugi Mutou fan club at our school so there's no way, they'll let anything happen to him. Also, see if you can get all the cheerleaders to walk him home tomorrow after practice, I don't believe it'll take that much convincing though. This way Yugi will be the second shortest person in a large group of giggling girls on the way out of the school gates, the perfect escape route. Atem will run, the minute he sees them, he hates large groups of girls. So do we have a plan?" Kaiba laid it out in a way that everyone would understand, even if it did make them grimace a bit.

"Yeah, but why'd you give Ryou and I the hardest part? What if he tries to puppy dog eyes us?" Malik asked in a slight whine.

"You two can do the puppy dog eyes too, right?" Kaiba asked in a very unconcerned voice.

"So you're hoping that Malik and I can double puppy dog eye him, before he does us?" Ryou asked in disbelief.

"This is all riding on the two of you, good luck." Kaiba said clapping a hand on their shoulders before climbing into a limo that just pulled up.

"Easy for him to say, but it's going to be hard for us to actually do." Both Ryou and Malik grumbled before climbing in after Jou and Honda.

The sleek black limo drove off once the door was closed, leaving nothing of anyone's presence being there a second before. It was going to be rough day for everyone at school the next day, so they were all going to need as much rest as they could possibly get.

**Thank you to everyone who are/have following/favorited this story. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review, because I appreciate everyone's opinions. Midnight ;p**


	5. A mob of screaming girls

**I'm having slight writing difficulties with my other story at the moment, so I decided to update this one instead. Right, I do not own Yugioh, enjoy!**

Chapter 4

Yugi was waiting for the others at the school gate when they arrived, and he didn't look too happy to see any of them. He had his arms crossed over his chest; he was leaning against a gate post, and had purple bags under his eyes. Overall Yugi looked awful.

"What happened to you guys yesterday, especially you Ryou and Malik? A test, _really_, did you forget that we share all the same classes?" Yugi asked as soon as they were close enough to hear him.

Everyone turned to look at Ryou and Malik who were wearing looks that clearly stated that they _had_ forgotten this. They looked back at Yugi in time to see him shaking his head and starting to walk away. The group immediately followed, with Ryou and Malik in the lead, to catch up with him.

"Wait, Yug'! We're sorry, something important came up, and we didn't have time to think about anything else." Malik tried to apologize.

"So what was so important that you couldn't just tell me what it was?" Yugi asked turning back to face him.

"Uh…" Malik hesitated.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Look you all stood me up, and because of that I had the worst night ever, in my entire existence. I'm going to go hang out with the cheerleaders today, don't take it personally I just need some time to think." Yugi said turning around once more to head on his way.

"Really?" asked Ryou in a surprised, excited, and relieved tone. This caused Yugi to turn back and face him with a questioning look on his face.

"I mean, what? Yugi, come on we're your friends, wouldn't it be better if you talked to us about your rough night?" Ryou said trying to quickly cover up his slip up.

"I never said I was telling them about my night Ryou. I just…I just need other people's problems in my head right now. I need to take a step back from my own life right now, and the cheerleaders are the best ones to go to for that category. They always know what 's going on, no matter whose business it may or may not be." Yugi explained in a tired voice, before running off.

The group watched him run off and waited until he was out of sight before all turned to Kaiba for a new plan of action. Kaiba was still staring off to the spot before looking at them. He nodded his head twice, before he spoke up.

"Ryou , Malik, make sure the cheerleaders know about Atem targeting their cutie. Tell Mira and Serenity, no one else. Also, tell them the name that Jou gave him was Chance Nadda, tell them to call him Cutie or Chance whenever they see Atem and never by his real name. Do you have all that, the longer we keep Atem away from Yugi the better. We all graduate in two months, Yugi has a future, we can't let Atem take it away from him." Kaiba explained quickly, they only had two minutes before the first bell rang.

"What about you, Honda, and me, Kaiba? What are we doing?" Jou asked before the Ryou and Malik could respond.

"We are waiting for the distraction at the end of the day, and we'll need your help for that too, _Malik_, Ryou, so make sure you're out of school _on_ _time_ today." Kaiba said stressing on the words Malik and on time. Malik had a tendency of showing up late to events, _important_ events.

"Okay, I will, geez, you're worse than my sister sometimes." Malik complained before heading off to find Mira and Serenity.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he's on time. Wait up Malik!" Ryou consoled, before running after him.

"Let's get to class." Honda said when the two disappeared around the corner of the school.

"Yeah." Jou agreed, and headed off with Honda, Kaiba trailing in their wake.

Yugi sat down in the back of the class room with Rebecca, who looked slightly surprised that he was sitting near her at all. Yugi looked over at her and smiled slightly before facing the front of the room again. After a few seconds Yugi turned to face her again.

"Do you mind if I hang out with you girls today? I need a break from my guy friends; we had a fight this morning." Yugi asked and explained at the same time. He was using very subtle puppy dog eyes on her; even if he knew they weren't necessary.

"Yes, of course you can, Cutie!" Rebecca exclaimed really loud, making everyone turn to look back at the two of them.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it." Yugi replied turning back to face the front.

The reason why he didn't hang out with the cheerleaders often was because they blatantly refused to call him Yugi. They had dubbed him as Cutie Pie, back in freshmen year, and he had only managed to get the Pie part knocked off. He had been known to the cheerleaders for three years now as Cutie, he wasn't even sure if they _knew_ his real name or not. It didn't matter though; he was leaving the offense name in high school when he went to college.

Yugi had no idea that he had played perfectly into his friends plot for them this morning when he had made his decision on the way to school. Nor that he had saved Ryou and Malik from trying to combat his _own_ puppy dog eyes of doom, with theirs. He just needed some time to think, and his friends had been strangely accepting in giving that to him today.

Normally when he looked like a freaking zombie, they pestered him until he told them what he was worrying about. While they weren't pursuing the subject of the purple bags under his eyes was strange, he wasn't going to worry about it at the moment, he had enough to worry about in any case. Like how he had as of yet, to see Ushio and his two friends, or hear any news of them either. This was the real reason for him hanging out with the cheerleaders, knowing what happened to his worst enemy.

Ryou and Malik found Mira and Serenity as they were walking down the hallway toward their free period classroom. They didn't notice either of the boys until they called out the girl's names.

"Mira! Serenity! Wait Up!" Malik called out, making the two girls stop and turn around.

"Oh, hey, what can we do for you guys?" Serenity asked as soon as the two were standing right in front of them.

"We need you and the rest of the cheerleaders to walk Yugi home today. Atem has targeted him as a person of his _personal_ interests. We fear Atem might try to hurt him, if he gets a hold of Yugi." Ryou explained in a frantic voice, that he knew would grab their immediate attention.

"Wait, you're telling me that he plans to _harm_ _our_ _Cutie_?" Serenity clarified.

"If he gets the chance, then yes, he will." Ryou said sadly.

"Ah, yeah, like we're _really_ going to let that happen." Mira sneered.

"Consider Cutie protected, and armed." Serenity said.

"There's one more thing, you should know. Jou told Atem that Yugi's name was Chance Nadda, so if you ever refer to him please don't use his real name." Malik stressed before they could walk off.

"Do we ever?" Mira and Serenity asked at the same time. It was no wonder they were Captain and Co-Captain of the cheerleaders, they were perfectly in sync with one another.

"No I guess you don't, do you? Well, Ryou and I have to beat Karu Sensei to class, so see you later girls!" Malik said laughing slightly, before grabbing Ryou hand and running off after their teacher.

"Do you think they'll beat her?" Mira asked Serenity.

"Only if they're lucky, come on, we have our own class to get to." She responded back.

Yugi looked up as he saw Ryou and Malik running into the classroom, with their teacher Karu Sensei, hot on their heels. Ryou and Malik sat down in the middle row of the classroom. They looked around before spotting Yugi in the back sitting next to Rebecca. They smiled at him, while Yugi just lazily blinked his eyes right back. Their smiles faded as they turned back around in their seats.

Yugi heard the information he had been seeking around lunch time. Rebecca, Anzu, and Vivian were talking about the triple murder over on Euchre Ave. They said that they had been identified as Ushio, Mason, and Henry. Yugi had never known Ushio's buddies names before, but he did now. Apparently Ushio had been shot between the eyes, and Mason and Henry in the back. They had died instantly, so there had been no suffering.

Yugi couldn't help it, as a few tears escaped his eyes. He knew they had been shot in that alleyway, and how they ended up on Euchre Ave was beyond him. The minute the cheerleaders saw the tears however, they all swarmed him and tried to coddle him. He didn't get any more information on it after that, as he was too busy trying to breathe in the group hug that was choking him.

When the end of the school day rolled around he was surprised to find that the cheerleaders were insisting that he stay to watch them practice. Well, anything to delay his return back to his empty house, he was okay with. He gave in with a shrug of his shoulders, which seemed to Vivian and Anzu like permission to drag him off to watch them practice.

Watching them practice was like watching a dance being choreographed to perfection. It was really amazing to watch how hard Mira and Serenity worked the other girls. By the end of it he was thinking about attending more of these practices, just for entertainment wise.

When they were done practicing, the whole group of girls gave him a formal walk out. If you could call surrounding him in a tight circle and forcing him to walk, a formal walk out. Yugi however froze as they were coming up on the gate. There standing across from his school, was the man he had met last night. How did he even know where he went to school, and if he knew that, what else did he know?

As Yugi was thinking all of this, the other girls noticed him too. Their words jolted him out of his thoughts, before he was met with the funniest thing he had seen the entire day. A huge group of 20 to 25 girls charging straight for one man, and the man wearing a look that said 'crap' and bolting away as fast as he could.

"It's him, the one who's trying to _harm_ _our_ _Cutie_!" Anzu exclaimed gaining the attention of the rest of the girls.

"LET'S GET HIM!" Vivian screamed, and like it was a trumpet call all the girls, minus Mira and Serenity, started to stampede towards Atem.

"You're not going to join them?" Yugi asked smiling with a wide grin.

"No, we're to walk you home." They both said.

"Mind if we take a detour? I need to do something." Yugi replied with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Sure, where to?" Mira asked.

"You'll see soon enough." Yugi replied mysteriously, before heading off in the direction of his home.

Atem had been waiting outside of the Domino High School gates for twenty minutes when the students started to file out. All of them took one look at him and quickly hurried home, lest they upset him in any way. Atem smirked at this; he had the entire neighborhood completely under his thumb, if he could instill this kind of fear just by appearing out in broad daylight.

After what seemed like an hour, but was only really 35 minutes the five he was waiting for came out. They gave him one look and then headed towards Kaiba's parked limo. Atem was slightly surprised to not see the boy with them; he must still be in the school. So Atem leaned against the pole he was standing next to, and decided to wait for him to come out. What he got wasn't what he had expected, at all.

About two hours of waiting later, and Atem about ready to give up and try again tomorrow, he heard what seemed to be a lot of chatter coming his way. A lot of _girls_ chattering coming his way, before a shout wretched through the air, towards _him_.

"It's him, the one who's trying to _harm_ _our_ _Cutie_!" a girl with short brown hair and blue eyes cried out, pointing to him.

"LET'S GET HIM!" another girl with her black hair up in a double bun, and brown eyes screamed out.

The next thing Atem knew, he was running for his life back to his warehouse, with a mob of girls in hot pursuit. By the way their outfits matched, he assumed they were the cheer squad of the school. He also thought it would be safe to assume that _Cutie_ was the boy he was after. Though why they thought he wanted to hurt such a beautiful boy was beyond him.

Atem found himself dodging trashcans, and people as he tried to get to the labyrinth as fast as possible, it was his only chance of losing these girls. As he was turning into an alleyway that led into his hideouts maze, he felt a hand grab his jacket. Atem quickly unzipped it and got out of it, as he made a sharp right turn. The jacket was expendable, he wasn't.

Atem finally lost the girls somewhere around the sixth or eighth turn down an adjoining alleyway. Slowing down to catch his breath he took a short cut that would lead him straight to the front of the warehouse, were surprisingly it looked as if a paper was attached to it. Atem bent down to read it, as it was slightly shorter than his eyes sight was.

MOB OF SCREAMING GIRLS: 1 vs. DEMON MAN WITH A _GUN_: zip. Atem ripped it off the door, crumpled it up, and threw it over his shoulder, where he heard it get caught. Turning to look behind him, he saw Marik taking the paper from Otogi, and opening it back up. Bakura looked over one of Marik's shoulders as Otogi did the same. They all burst out laughing after reading what was wrote on the paper.

"The kid has some nerve leaving this for you Atem." Marik said grinning.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind meeting him myself." Otogi joined in.

"Highly unlikely that that's going to happen. You have to remember that this kid _intrigues_ Atem." Bakura said smirking.

"Shove it, the lot of you, and cancel the meeting tonight with Kaiba. I'm beat from so much running. Who knew a pack of girls could be so fast?" Atem said walking into the warehouse and heading straight for the bedrooms area.

"What did you expect? They're cheerleaders, and they have _their_ _Cutie_ under their wings." Marik said following him.

"A little less stamina would have been nice, and being able to keep my jacket too." Atem said opening one of the rooms and plopping down on the bed that was in there.

"They took your jacket? What a prize you've given them." Marik said chuckling from his door way.

"Perhaps, if they were fans of me. Leave me; I need to think, about this new dilemma of ours. It seems that Chance Nadda the Cutie, is anything but a loner at that school. So how do we get to him?" Atem ordered and then started to think out loud as soon as the door was shut.

"That was fun; I wonder what tomorrow will bring?" Yugi asked himself as he prepared his dinner for the night.

"Do you think our trick will work the same way twice?" Jou asked Kaiba as the limo pulled up to Kaiba's mansion.

"That all depends if it even worked in the first place. Tomorrow will tell us if it did." Kaiba responded getting out, and holding the door open for Jou.

**I couldn't remember how I was going to have the others distract the gang, so I edited that part out. I'm sure whatever idea I had had was funny, too. Anyway, thank you to all of those who have/are favorited/following this story. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review, because all opinions are valued. Oh, and I won't be updating this again until I get The Yami in his corner sorted out. Midnight ;p**


	6. I know who you are

**Hello Readers, here is chapter five for all of you to read. Right I don not own Yugioh, enjoy! [PHONE SPEAK,**_ATEM TEXT, __**MARIK TEXT,**_**BAKURA TEXT**, and OTOGI TEXT]

Chapter 5

Yugi woke up on early on Friday morning, only to remember that they didn't have school today. Groaning Yugi tried to get back to sleep only to have his phone buzz on him. Making a sound of agitation, Yugi reached over to his desk and grabbed it. Flipping it open he placed it against his ear after he saw Kaiba's name on the screen.

"If this is you calling to say that we should hang out at the park again, forget it, I want some more sleep." Yugi said to Kaiba in the form of a hello and good morning.

**"****How was your day yesterday with the cheerleaders?" Kaiba asked.**

"What? Uh, it was very entertaining actually. Everyone but Mira and Serenity went chasing after some dude, who apparently was trying to hurt me. Ironically enough it was the same guy I ran into the night before last." Yugi said laughing a bit at the memory of yesterday.

**"****So Mira and Serenity walked you home?" Kaiba asked almost like he was interested.**

"Yeah, but we took a small detour through the alleyways where I left a note attached to one of the warehouses. I sure hope it was his, if it wasn't that would look really weird." Yugi said nervously, like he wasn't sure if he should be telling Kaiba this at all.

**"****You left a note for Atem?" Kaiba asked without thinking.**

"Atem? Is that his name? Well then yes, I left a note for him, well more of scoreboard really. It made Mira and Serenity laugh, that's for sure." Yugi said no longer nervous since Kaiba knew him.

**"****Yugi, you need to stay away from him. He's dangerous, really bad news." Kaiba said in earnest, he didn't want Yugi to push Atem too far that he would go out looking for Yugi.**

"Alright, alright Kaiba, it was just a bit of fun. Besides I have to do some grocery shopping today, and open the store, it hasn't been open in a week after all. I'm getting low on income, things were so much easier with Grandpa around, I miss him. I gotta go Kaiba, if I don't get started now, I never will." Yugi said in a sad and slightly depressed voice.

**"****Okay, but stay away from the warehouses, Yugi. Atem is a notorious gang leader of a group called The Demon's, and is wanted by most people in the legal department. Don't get mixed up with him, I hear you never can get back out once you do." Kaiba said with worry in his tone.**

"Right, I won't, bye Kaiba." Yugi said before hanging up his phone.

Yugi stretched and threw off his covers before starting to get ready for another lonely day. Without his Grandpa around the house was too quiet, big, and lonely. Though, it was still the only home he had, so he decided to continue living in it, even after Kaiba asked if he wanted to stay with him.

Atem had stayed up half the night thinking of ways to get near the kid without any interference. It was when he was almost a sleep when something that the kid said, well screamed, struck him. When he had been in full panic mode, he had screamed something about a ladder. Kicking off his covers Atem ran out of the warehouse, and started to search for ladders that led to rooftops out of the alleyway. There were two, one led to more alleys, while the other led to the roof of another building.

Well building might have been the wrong word, it was really a little shop, but it was so close that you could jump from the roof he was currently on to the shop's roof without fear of not making it. It made Atem wonder if this was where the kid had gone, or if he had taken the alleyway route. He'd have to do a better check in the morning.

Atem was about to walk back to the ladder that led off the rooftop, when he saw a flash of gold out of the corner of his eye. He would know that flash of gold anywhere, it was Malik. Crouching down low on the rooftop, he saw Malik doing a shadow checkup with someone else on the same shop he was checking out. This only confirmed his suspicions the kid was in that shop, and he intended to find out who he was tomorrow.

Malik looked up when he thought he saw movement on the rooftop above Yugi's own. He and Ryou were doing a shadow checkup on Yugi again; they were both really worried about him. Though, when Malik looked up, there was nothing there. Figuring he must have imagined it, he and Ryou left to head home. If they had stayed a minute longer, they would have seen Atem's shadow standing up and walking away.

Yugi walked out of the shop, closed and locked the door, and then made his way opposite the warehouses towards the farmer's market. He always liked going with his Grandpa to get fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as the occasional fish, but even though his Grandpa was gone, it didn't make him stop going. His Grandpa would have wanted him to continue to go, for the both of them, so go he did.

Not once did Yugi see the smirking figure of Atem watching him from atop the roof. Nor did he see three figures trailing him, as he started to make his way down the street. About halfway down the street Yugi stopped when his phone started to buzz in his pocket. Flipping it open Yugi put it to his ear when he saw Malik was the one calling him this time.

"Yes, Malik, what do you need?" Yugi said in a form of hello.

**"****Where are you? Kaiba said you were opening he shop today. I need some new cards." Malik said confusion marring his voice.**

"I'm going grocery shopping at the farmer's market, but tell you what, I'll come back. When I get there I'm going to let you in, and have you run the shop for me, sound good?" Yugi said in an 'I have things to do Malik' type of voice.

**"****Uh, I just wanted some cards Yugi." Malik replied nervously.**

"Well now you're doing me a favor." Yugi replied back as he rounded the corner, and saw that Malik was indeed waiting outside the shop for him.

Yugi hung up the phone and walked up to Malik, who was doing the same to his own. Yugi opened the door, flipped the sign, and motioned for Malik to come in. when Malik looked reluctant, Yugi pushed him in.

"Do I have to Yugi?" Malik asked in a semi loud voice.

"Yes, you do, unless of course you have a test to study for." Yugi said giving Malik a pouting glare.

"Fine I'll watch the shop." Malik grumbled as he walked behind the counter.

"Thank you, Malik!" Yugi said as walked back out again, giving a tiny wave to the other.

"See you later Yugi." Malik said returning the wave.

Laughing slightly Yugi started again towards the farmer's market. This time determined to make it, he turned off his phone. This was a bad decision, because Atem was tailing him like a blood hound does a rabbit. Worse though, he now knew Yugi's name, thanks to Malik.

As Atem followed Yugi, he did a research on Yugi who lived at Kame Game Shop, what he got was the last thing he expected. Atem couldn't just make this kid disappear; he was famous throughout the game community. Especially the Duelist Community, Yugi was the big KOG, King of Games. Which made Atem feel like an absolute baka, the many times he had seen the kid on TV, and in person he didn't even recognize him.

Taking out his phone Atem sent a quick text message to Marik, Bakura, and Otogi. _Fall back and keep watch from a distance. I'm going into this one alone. Apparently we've stumbled onto the big KOG. ~Atem _

That kid is the King of Games? ~Marik

_Yes, yes, he is. No wonder my cousin didn't want me to hurt him. ~Atem_

All right, we'll watch from afar, but be careful Atem. His friends could be anywhere. Oh, and beware of the cheerleaders too. ~Bakura

Yeah they can be kind of vicious. ~Otogi

_Are you all using the same phone? ~Atem_

Yep! ~Marik, Bakura, Otogi

_Split up, and use your own phones, I don't want any interruptions. ~Atem_

Fine. ~Otogi

**Whatever. ~Bakura**

**_You're no fun Atem. ~Marik_**

_This isn't meant to be fun, it's meant to be business. Oh, he's going to the farmer's market, he's making this way too easy. ~Atem_

Yugi walked into the farmer's market and had barely taken two steps when someone called out his name. It was hard for Yugi to forget that voice, because that voice belonged to Atem, the one with the gun. Glancing behind him, he saw that Atem was in the same aisle as he. So quickly ducking under one of the tables, Yugi popped back up in another aisle, the one that Atem wasn't in, before looking back at him with an uneasy smile.

Atem just calmly walked up until he was facing him directly over the table that Yugi had put between them. He had to admit, that was pretty smart on Yugi's part to get out of the same aisle. Then again, he could just be looking at this as if it was a game, and Atem would have to think quickly on his toes if he wanted to beat the King.

While Atem seemed t be momentarily distracted by his thoughts, Yugi reached down and grabbed a basket, so he could put his food in something. Then he started to take small steps to the left, something that didn't go unnoticed by Atem.

"Was there something you wanted, Atem?" Yugi asked as he picked up some cucumbers and zucchini.

Atem looked slightly shocked for a moment before smiling at Yugi. Yugi wasn't sure if the smile was supposed to friendly or intimidating. It kind of looked like it was both; this didn't reassure Yugi at all.

"I see we are on even ground in the name department then, I know yours and you know mine." Atem said calmly watching Yugi pick out some cherry tomatoes.

"Well, I would be kind of amazed if you didn't know mine, Atem. Did you get my note, or did I attach it to the wrong warehouse?" Yugi said smiling before asking a question.

"No I received it Yugi, my friends believed you had some nerve leaving it for me. I'd have to agree with them, it seems you don't know me very well." Atem said leaning over the table slightly.

"Why should I? I know nothing of gangs or violence; I mean there's none of it in my neighborhood." Yugi replied simply looking up from the butternut squash he was looking over.

"Huh? Yugi, Yugi, Yugi, I've been running this neighborhood area for two years now. I'm not really sure how you managed to escape my eye, but now that you're in it, you're not leaving again." Atem said in a slightly scary voice that was meant to intimidate Yugi.

"Watch me, because I'm going to college, and there's nothing you can do about it!" Yugi responded in a stern voice and finger pointing.

"College? College is for chums with a higher IQ than normal." Atem said laughing.

"Then I guess I'm the chummiest of them all, because I have the highest IQ in my high school." Yugi spat out at Atem before turning his back on him to look at the apples.

"You know with you being the big KOG, I guess that shouldn't really surprise me as much as it does." Atem responded quietly, his laughter dying instantly at Yugi's words. Yugi turned his head a bit towards Atem before turning it back again.

Yugi moved down the row as he picked up a variety of different fruits: apples, oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and mangos. Atem just hovered behind him with every step he took until Yugi was out of the aisle and making his way over to the fish one. Atem followed at a leisurely pace, making sure to keep distance between them, but not enough for Yugi to think he had a chance to run.

When Yugi got to the fish aisle he wasn't oblivious to Atem following him. He was quite aware of his shadow, and had just thought up a use for him. Motioning Atem forward with one hand, and keep a hold the basket with the other, Yugi waited until Atem was right beside him. Once Atem was in position, Yugi acted quickly.

"Since you feel the need to follow me around, here hold this!" Yugi said turning to him and shoving the basket into Atem hands.

"What? I'm no pack mule, Yugi." Atem stated in a dangerously low voice.

"No time to waste Atem! I still need Carp, Crab King, Herring, and Scallops, help me find them." Yugi said back clearly ignoring Atem's tone of voice.

Huffing in frustration, Atem attempted to help Yugi find the items. The sooner he got out of here the better. The last thing he needed was anyone seeing him carrying someone else's stuff, let alone groceries. Atem had to admit that Yugi was fast, because as he was thinking this Yugi had placed all four items into the basket and was dragging him to the checkout.

Yugi watched as the lady at the checkout watched Atem uneasily as she scanned up all the items and told Yugi what he was to pay for all the items. He was surprised that it was so low, normally a haul like this coasted him around $40.00, not $25.95, and he suspected Atem's presence had something to do with it. Yugi wasn't going to complain, this time, because he was low on money, but next time he would say something.

As the two walked out of the farmer's market Atem tried to get away before he was forced to carry anything else. Though, Yugi's words stopped him in his tracks.

"Atem we're going the same way right? Can't you at least help me to carry these bags to my front door? I have a friend who can give me hand waiting there, so you won't have any need to come inside." Yugi said when he noticed Atem start to speed up.

"Sure, since we're going the same way, I guess I can help." Atem said coming back and meeting the slight challenge that he heard in Yugi's voice.

"Great! Here take the heavier bags will you?" Yugi said shoving two bags full of fruit and vegetables into Atem's hands.

"You call these heavy? They barely weigh a thing Yugi." Atem said smirking at him a bit as he raised the bags higher as if to prove his point.

"If you say so, Atem." Yugi said shaking his head slightly, as he made off for the Game shop.

Malik was starting to wonder what was keeping Yugi so long, when he saw Yugi _and_ Atem walk up to the front of the store. Yugi opened the door, and poked his head inside.

"Malik do mind taking these bags off of Atem, that way he won't have to come in." Yugi called out across the shop.

"Sure, nothing would make me happier." Malik said and was by the door in five short steps.

"Malik, you didn't tell me you were _friends_ with the King of Games, how come?" Atem asked smirking in a way that had sweat running down the back of Malik's neck.

"You guys know each other?" Yugi asked confusion lacing his voice.

"Yes, for several months now." Atem responded still looking at Malik in that same way.

"Right, well I have things to do. So goodbye Atem it was nice meeting you. Come on Malik help me put these things away." Yugi said pushing Atem out the door and locking it when he noticed how scared his friend seemed to be. He then turned to Malik, and helped him to get the stuff upstairs.

Once everything was put away, Yugi turned to Malik. Malik was still sweating a bit, but at least he didn't' look as scared as before. Yugi had never seen Malik look scared, about anything, and seeing him that way in front of Atem freaked Yugi out a bit.

Pouring Malik a glass of water he led him over to the couch where he sat him down. Once Yugi had made sure Malik was comfortable he started to question him, and Malik wasn't leaving the house until all of them were answered. The one he started with, how did Malik know Atem?

**Ahem! I have an important announcement to make, I'M GOING ON VACATION IN NINE DAYS! Right, while on vacation I will have limited to no computer access, so I will try to update again before I leave, but I make no guarantees. Hey, that kinda rhymes. Anyway, I would like to thank all of those ho have/are favorited/following this story. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review, the more I get the more likely I am to update before I leave. Midnight ;p **


	7. Terrifying

**Hmm, I'm nice to one group of readers, yet mean to the other, I wonder what this says about me. Well you're all going to hate me I'm absolutely positively EVIL! I do not own Yugioh, enjoy...** [_FLASHBACK_]

Chapter 6

"Malik how do you know Atem?" Yugi asked once Malik was breathing in a relatively normal way again.

"Yugi, I don't want-" Malik started bit Yugi interrupted him.

"Malik, you had _sweat_ running down your _neck_, it's your only sign of terror. That guy, Atem, terrifies you, _why_?" Yugi asked in a just tell me, I need to know voice.

"I know him through Marik." Malik said simply.

"Who's Marik?" Yugi asked, he knew this was going to be a long afternoon.

"Marik is the guy who I intrigued, kind of like how you intrigued Atem. I'm an object of Marik's interest and infatuations that's it." Malik said in a dull voice.

"Atem mentioned that he intends not to let me leave his eye again. What did he mean exactly, by that?" Yugi asked with curiosity lacing his voice.

"Oh God. You're never leaving this town, Yugi. You're future that you and your Grandpa planned out, it's history." Malik said his eyes growing wide with horror.

"No Malik, no one is going to take that future from me, least of all Atem. I will do anything I have to, to leave this town and go to Tokyo University, anything. The only one who can take away my future is myself, no one else is allowed that right." Yugi replied with assurance and slight venom in his voice.

"You say that now Yugi, but they have a way of creeping into your life and taking over." Malik wasn't convinced.

"Malik, what could possibly happen in two months?" Yugi asked.

"More than I think you'd care to know." Mali replied.

"Alright, when did you first catch this Marik's eye, and how long have you been a part of Atem's Crew?" Yugi asked searching for more answers.

"His Crew? Never heard anyone call it that before." Malik said smiling lightly, though Yugi knew it was forced and faked.

"Malik." Yugi said sternly.

"Right, I first caught Marik's eye seven months ago, and two months after that, I acquired a debt to Atem that's going to take me a year in his _crew_ to pay it off." Malik stated glumly, though he did smirk at the word crew.

"What kind of a debt?" Yugi asked warily.

"Why do you want to know?" Malik asked curiously.

"So I can avoid it." Yugi replied back bluntly.

"Oh, well I got into a little trouble with a rival gang, and he saved my life. Though, apparently it wasn't worth much to him." Malik replied in a sour voice.

"How much is considered to be a _little_ trouble?" Yugi asked, not even noticing that Malik had vanished into the depths of his mind.

_Malik was tied to a chair with a gun pointed to his head. The guys who had him held captive where discussing the best way to dispose of his body after he was dead. This wasn't very comforting to Malik who was, _stillalive_. _

_"__Now really, do you honestly believe this kid to be worth so much as to just leave him out in an open street? If it were me I'd drop him off at the morgues."A voice cut in._

_"__What do you want Atem?" the leader of the gang, Mario, that held him captive asked._

_Thump!_

_"__I simply wish to know what this kid is worth to you. He seems to be worth a lot more to my friend Marik, than a sack of potatoes are." Atem said coming up from behind him and sitting against the arm of his chair._

_"__What are you willing to give us for him then?" Mario asked._

_"__Nothing, because he's worth nothing to me. Screwed him yet?" Atem responded with a smile. _

_"__Nah, haven't had the pleasure to screw the pretty thing yet."Mario said making a grab for Malik's chin._

_"__Well I was only asked to see if he was still alive, nothing more. I see that he is still alive, my jobs done. Bye boys, have fun with the pretty thing." Atem said still smiling getting up and beginning to walk away._

_"__Wait! Please! I-I'll do anything!" Malik shouted after his figure, making him freeze._

_"__Anything? Even becoming someone's whore?"Atem asked with his back to Malik._

_"__I don't want to die." Malik said in a quiet voice._

_"__I'll give you a thousand bucks for the virgin." Atem said._

_"__1500." Mario countered._

_"__Done." Atem said, handing over the wad of cash to him._

_"__Release the pretty virgin; he's no longer our problem." Mario said pocketing the money and laughing._

_Malik's bonds were cut and he was lifted roughly to his feet. Malik ran up to Atem, who grabbed him by his upper arm and dragged him all the way across town, to his own warehouse. When the two entered they saw a Marik pacing back and forth. Atem threw Malik at his feet._

_"__Your new toy, don't break him, I just paid $1500 for him." Atem said like he was a waste of time and effort._

_"__New toy? Atem! What did he agree to? What did you trick him into agreeing to?" Marik all but yelled at Atem._

_"__Nothing, he agreed to do anything, even become someone's whore, all because he didn't want to _die_." Atem replied vindictively._

_"__How long Atem? How long does he have to do this for?" Marik asked with barely held back anger in his voice, though some leaked out through his gritted teeth._

_"__A year." Atem sneered at him._

_"__You're sick." Marik responded pulling Malik off the floor and checking him over for injuries._

_"__You wanted him alive. He's alive."Atem responded before going into his room and slamming the door._

_"__Malik listen to me. Keep your head down, your nose out of trouble, and I swear I will make sure that you get through this one year, in one piece. I promise, I promise." Marik said holding him close and crying into his hair._

_Malik hadn't even known he cared so much, but apparently he did. Now Malik felt like he had two debts instead of one; one to Atem for saving his neck, and one to Marik for trying to keep it alive for an entire year._

_"__Malik…_Malik! MALIK!" Yugi's voice called out to him.

"Huh, what?" Malik said jumping out of the horrible memory.

"I said how much is considered to be a _little_ trouble?" Yugi asked annoyance written on his face and in his voice.

"A little? Oh, just have a rival gang of Atem's kidnap you, threaten to kill you, let Atem show up to save you, promise your life away, and that's a little trouble." Malik said still coming out of his reverie a bit.

"Oh, Malik, I didn't mean to make you remember something that makes you cry. I'm sorry." Yugi said gently handing Malik a tissue.

"Huh?" Malik asked reaching up to his face to find his cheek wet.

Yugi watched as Malik just looked at his fingers. He looked so lost; Yugi didn't know what to do, so he pulled him into a hug. Malik just seemed to break under the gesture, and started to sob uncontrollably into Yugi's shirt. Yugi let him, rubbing his back, and remaining silent. He knew his presence was enough to comfort Malik; it always had been, especially when he had had that rough patch with his Father.

Malik finally calmed down after a while and pulled back from Yugi. He rubbed the left over tears from his eyes, and looked down at Yugi's shirt. It looked as if Yugi had just been in a wet T-shirt contest, and had somehow only managed to get the front of his shirt wet.

"I drenched you in salt water Yugi." Malik said looking at Yugi's shirt.

"Eh, it's all right, I'm used to it." Yugi replied like it was no big deal.

Malik laughed a little at the statement, before he looked as if he was steeling himself for something. He looked at Yugi a few times before Yugi asked.

"What? Oh! That's right, you wanted more dueling monsters right?" Yugi said brightly getting up from the couch.

"Wait, you don't have any more questions?" Malik asked as he made his way towards the stairs after Yugi.

"I don't hit my friends when they're weak Malik." Yugi responded simply, reopening the game shop.

"Yugi, what time is your store open again on the weekdays?" Malik asked looking at the clock.

"From 9:00 am-3:00 pm, why?" Yugi asked him.

"It's 4:00 pm." Malik responded looking at him and pointing to the clock.

"Oh, well we're open tomorrow from 8:00 am-5:00 pm." Yugi said back flipping the sign again.

"So I'll come back around nine to buy some cards then?" Malik suggested.

"Let me get my jacket and I'll walk you home." Yugi suggested.

"That sounds good, thank you." Malik said back.

"I don't care what you want, you creep! Bakura's my boyfriend, and I won't betray him." Ryou said pushing the older male again.

"Oh, come on beautiful, just one round, and I swear I'll make you a happy man." He sneered

"No get off!" Ryou shouted back, struggling to get the man away from him.

The man didn't listen, he just pushed Ryou up against a wall, pinning his arms above his head in the process. Ryou didn't stop struggling as the man went to take off his pants. He didn't get very far though as someone came racing down the alleyway towards them, yelling at the top of their lungs.

Malik and Yugi walked down the street and were passing an alleyway when Yugi saw him. Ryou was struggling with another male down the alley, the two were almost hidden in shadow, but you could still make out the two separate forms. Tearing his arm away from Malik, Yugi started to run towards his friend's aid.

"Stop! Leave him alone! Leave Ryou be! Leave him alone!" Yugi yelled running towards the two.

"Yugi! No!" Malik shouted as heard the most terrifying sound, eclipsing his words in its echo.

It all seemed to happen so fast and yet at the same time go so slow. The taller male broke away from Ryou to aim a slim black object in his hand at Yugi. Yugi heard Malik shout behind him; and at the same time a life threatening sound ricocheting off the walls of the alley. Yugi felt pain, and then his entire world went black

_BANG!_

**This shall be my last update before I leave on my six day vacation! Don't ya'll just love the way I ended this? Because I know I do! Right, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. I would also like to thank everyone who are/have following/favorited this story. Please review. Midnight ;p **


	8. Intruder

**Hey, I'm back! Now to find out if Yugi survived the gunshot. I do not own Yugioh, enjoy! [PHONE SPEAK]**

Chapter 7

Atem ran up to Yugi to see if he was all right while Bakura checked out Ryou. Ryou was in shock, while Yugi was protruding blood from his left calf. Worse, Yugi was unconscious; it seemed the boy had a low tolerance to pain. Scooping him up, Atem ran back to the warehouse, where he deposited the boy in one of the spare rooms.

"Kaiba! Get in here!" Atem shouted as he went into the bathroom to get the first aid kit.

"What do you want now?" Kaiba asked as he meandered his way into the room.

Kaiba froze at the sight that met his eyes. There, lying unconscious on the bed was Yugi, his breath was shallow, and blood was pouring from his left calf. Kaiba hastened to his side, and just stared in horror as Yugi struggled to breathe, and Ryou was brought in with blood splattered on his face and clothes.

"What happened? WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM ATEM? BAKURA?" Kaiba shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Bandit Keith. After he left our warehouse he must have run into Ryou, and tried to get his hands on Ryou's manhood. Yugi and Malik were passing by, we saw that part, and Yugi must have seen the same thing. He broke away from Malik and started to run blindly straight at Keith. Keith raised his gun at Yugi, and at the same time that I shot Keith, he shot him. Keith is dead, and we should be thankful Yugi isn't too." Bakura explained as Atem ran back into the room with the supplies, and Ryou clung to Bakura.

"Even after you save his limb and life Atem, he owes you nothing." Kaiba said in a voice that was beyond cold, it was glacial.

Atem finally pulled out the bullet when his cousin's words pierced through his reverie. Atem simply ignored his cousin's words for the moment in favor of finishing what he was doing. Wrapping bandages around Yugi's legs he made sure they were tight, so the blood flow would eventually stop. Atem untied the rubber from around Yugi's thigh, and placed it upon the bed next to the boy. Grabbing a towel, Atem finally turned around to face his cousin's harsh glare with his own.

"You know as well as I do that I never give out kindness, without receiving something in return for it." Atem said back calmly as he wiped his hands of Yugi's blood.

"That boy has a future and I don't care what I have to do, I will not allow you to steal it from him. You can trust me when I say you owe him a lot more than he does you. You have taken one of his most precious things from him already; I will not allow you to steal another. Chance is going to college, and there isn't a thing you can do to stop it." Kaiba said in that same glacial voice.

"Don't you mean Yugi? After all that's what Malik called him, twice." Atem said cocking his head slightly, his eyes shifting towards the door behind Kaiba on the word 'twice'.

Kaiba turned to look behind him as well, to see Malik standing in the door way. Malik was shaking where he stood in pure petrified fear. Turning around Kaiba saw why, Atem was looking at him in a leering way, whilst smirking, the look would cause anyone to go cold with fear. Having enough of his cousin's attitude, Kaiba swiftly stood in his way.

"Why do you always do that? If you don't like Malik, let him go already. Marik _hates_ the situation you put him in, you _know_ this. You treat your friends and family with less respect then you should. You never know when they might walk out on you one day." Kaiba said spitefully, as a loud groaning moan was heard from behind Atem.

Atem turned to look behind him to see that Yugi was coming around. He smiled as he moved closer to the bed, intending to caress the boy's beautiful face. He had barely raised his hand when it was caught in a steely grip. Following the hand he came to look upon Jou's face. Shoving the boy away, by using the shoulder of the hand that Jou had a grip on, Atem turned to look back at the bed to find it empty.

"You will never touch Yugi so long as we can help it Atem." Kaiba's glacial voice sounded from the door way.

Atem whipped around to see Kaiba holding Yugi in his arms, glaring at him with a look that would freeze most men's hearts. Atem just glared back his eyes lit with a firing rage, as his eyes narrowed into slits. Atem couldn't believe that out of everything Kaiba could have fought with him for, it was the freedom of this one kid.

"Kaiba? What's going on?" Yugi asked as his eyes opened to show him blurry images of people, though he couldn't make out the defined lines of any of them.

"Nothing, Yugi, I'm taking you home." Kaiba said looking down at him with a fondness that Atem had seen him looking upon Mokuba with on occasion.

Kaiba walked out of the room, as Jou got back up, and followed them out. Malik was still standing in the doorway, but Marik soon came to collect him, and they walked off in the direction of Marik's room. Atem knew it would be foolish of him to believe that Marik would be doing anything else other than comforting the kid until he fell asleep.

Atem turned around to find Bakura holding a now sleeping Ryou in his arms. Atem watched Ryou sleep in Bakura's arms, until they twitched a bit in discomfort. Atem looked back up at Bakura to find him watching him, watch Ryou. Atem sighed and sat on the bed, with his head supported by one hand, its elbow resting upon his right knee.

"What do you think he meant? I've already stolen one precious thing from him?" Atem asked in a low voice.

"Dunno, it could be anything." Bakura responded shaking his head slightly.

"Right." Atem whispered back, nodding his head a bit.

Atem got up planning to go see Yugi, even if he had to scale his house to do it. Or jump from roof to roof. Atem was almost to the door, when Bakura called out quietly form behind him. It was more Bakura's voice, than the actual words that made him pause, and look back at his friend.

"Tread the ground carefully Atem, they seem pretty bent on keeping you two away from each other." Bakura said in a concerned but stern voice.

Bakura only used that tone when he was genially worried, it touched Atem a bit, but not enough to persuade him from his goal. Atem nodded and carried back on his way, making sure to grab a change of clothes before leaving the warehouse though. If Yugi woke up in his presence he didn't want to freak the kid out by being covered in blood.

Yugi was barely conscious as Kaiba carried him up to his bedroom and tucked him into his bed. Kaiba told Yugi something, but it just sounded like a fading garbled mess to his ears as he passed back into a black oblivion.

"Do you think we should stay with him?" Jou asked Kaiba in Yugi's bedroom door way.

"No, I don't think that will be necessary. Atem doesn't know anything about Yugi besides his first name. There are a total of 20 Yugi's in this city, including our own. This should give us twenty nights or hours to come up with a solution to our new dilemma." Kaiba said briskly shutting the door to Yugi's room and leading Jou down the stairs.

"But Seto, Atem knows what Yugi looks like. With his data base, and Yugi's looks it won't be that hard to find him." Jou persisted.

"No, we just have to trust that Yugi will be safe on his own for at least one night. If I have to, I will force him to live with us at the mansion, but until that time, we just have to trust that Yugi will be safe here." Kaiba said now steering Jou out of the house.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing Seto, and Yugi isn't the one to pay for it." Jou grumbled back as they both got into Kaiba's sleek black limo.

Atem watched with a kind of sick satisfaction as his cousin got into his limo, and drove off into the night. He was also thankful he had never thought to look up; if he had Atem would have been busted. Atem had done nothing to conceal himself, and had simply been standing upon the roof top right above Yugi's own.

When Atem was sure they were gone, he walked back on the roof a little bit, ran across it and jumped from his roof to Yugi's. Atem knew it had to of made a lot of sound so he waited for Yugi to turn on a light or something. After five minutes of no movement from what he could see however, he carefully crept down to Yugi's window. Looking in he saw that the boy was tucked into bed directly below the window. Carefully opening the window, Atem climbed in and swung himself over Yugi bed to land on the floor. Touching down as quietly as he could, Atem looked quickly over his shoulder to see that Yugi hadn't even stirred.

Frowning, Atem began to wonder if Yugi was in the bed at all, or if it was just a bunch of pillows instead. Though, upon coming closer to the bed, he did indeed see that Yugi was sleeping rather peacefully in it. Yugi looked like the perfect picture of peace and serenity, his face was so relaxed, Atem couldn't help but stare.

Reaching out, Atem used the back of his hand, to graze Yugi's face from his temple to his chin with his fingertips. This was all he had planned to do in the warehouse, why they thought he would do anymore was beyond him. Okay, yes, he was known to take advantage of people from time to time, but was that really their only reason for so much caution?

Atem looked up from Yugi's sleeping face to look around the room. He was met with posters of dueling competitions, duel monsters, and pictures upon pictures of all of Yugi's friends and family. Walking over to the right wall that was covered in these pictures Atem looked for Yugi's friends, pacifically, the ones in his gang.

Atem found a few here and there, but what mostly covered the wall was pictures of Yugi growing up and an old man could constantly be found amongst the pictures. He was either in the background, or right next to a bright and cheerful Yugi. What struck Atem the most though was seeing a picture of just the old man, with the words rest in peace Grandpa, on the bottom of the picture.

So obviously Yugi was alone in the house. Looking through the pictures he saw a couple with a young couple in them, and an infant Yugi. Yugi had acquired his Mother's kind face, and eyes. While from his Father he had acquired his star shaped three colored hair, and short stature. It was apparent, because Yugi's mother was always looking down at the man.

The young couple seemed to be hopeless love struck fools, though they weren't in any of Yugi's pictures after his third birthday. So something must have happened that year to them. Probably an accident of some sort, or they could have been like Yugi, in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever it was, Yugi grew up with his Grandpa. Now the old man was gone, looking like he had left Yugi completely alone.

Yugi was alone. The thought hit him like a ton of bricks. This would only be too easy for Atem to worm his way into the kid's life. If he was alone, then there was nothing standing in his way from making the boy his and his alone. Atem couldn't have asked for a more perfect scenario, then if he had planned it himself. Whilst Atem was thinking all this, he failed to notice, let alone hear, something sitting up in the bed behind him.

Yugi awoke slowly to someone muttering. Shifting into a sitting position, Yugi looked around the room to see someone checking out the pictures of his life on the wall. Recognizing the back of the head as Atem's, Yugi made to stand up so he could get out by skylight. Upon standing however, he cried out and fell back down, due to the searing pain that had just shot up his left leg.

Atem spun around at the cry of pain, to see Yugi holding back tears as he clutched at his leg. Walking over, he saw Yugi cringe back from him. He stopped when he was about a foot away from Yugi's bed, the boy was shaking with suppressed tears, and his eyes were wide in fear. Yugi must have asked questions this afternoon, and it seemed that Malik had answered them.

"Yugi if I was going to hurt you, I would've done it already." Atem said in an annoyed voice.

"I can't trust you Atem. You're the Lord Demon, and the Lord Demon has no value of life." Yugi responded back quietly.

"Then why did I bother to save yours?" Atem spat out.

"So I would owe you something. It sounds as if for every kindness you give; you expect more in return than that kindness was worth." Yugi replied back calmly, no longer shaking.

Atem's eyes narrowed at Yugi. Yugi knew his words were dangerous, and he was sitting duck on the bed. Atem offered assistance with Yugi's thoughts by moving quickly to pin him against his bed. Yugi didn't dare struggle; he didn't want to injure his leg anymore than he probably had already.

"So tell me exactly how much you believe yourself to be worth Yugi." Atem said his breath ghosting over Yugi's face.

"Nothing, I'm worth nothing." Yugi replied back, turning his face away from Atem's.

Atem pulled back from Yugi's face a little bit. This was not the answer he had been expecting, at all. Everyone thought they were worth something to the world, and yet Yugi thought he wasn't worth anything. Atem could come up with a thousand ways of how Yugi was worth something. The top one on his list being, that he was worth something to Atem. Why else had he saved the kid, he could have let him bleed to death on the alleyway ground. Instead he had picked him up, and carried him back to the warehouse. There he had treated his wound, and bandaged him up.

Reaching out, Atem took both of Yugi's wrists in one of his own, and turned his head to face him, with the other. In Yugi's eyes he saw fear, but deep down an edge of defiance. It was a small spark, but it was there. Atem thought that that defiance needed to be tested, and in one swift motion, he brought his lips crashing down on Yugi's own.

The kiss was rough and aggressive, leaving Yugi barely any room to protest, that didn't mean he couldn't though. Working his mouth around, he was able to get Atem's bottom lip between his teeth, and he clamped them hard around the object. Atem yelped, and yanked his mouth away from Yugi; effectively ripping his lip from the younger's painful grasp. Both males where panting harshly as they stared one another down.

"You're a bastard, you know that right?" Yugi asked still trying to control his breathing.

"I can honestly say that I have been called that before, once. The man was dying when he called me that with his last breath. I never thought I would hear another fool call me it again. It seems I was wrong." Atem responded leering at Yugi as he got control of his breath again. Atem felt his lip with his hand, pulling it away he found it covered in blood. Atem's eyes darkened with anger, as they reconnected with Yugi's.

Yugi's blood ran cold form the look Atem was giving him, but Yugi wasn't really the type to take anything without a fight. Using his right leg, Yugi swung it out and kicked Atem in the gut, sending him flying to the ground, as it was unexpected. Even though Yugi knew it would hurt, he scrambled to his feet and hobbled as fast as he could to his Grandpa's old room. Yugi never knew why his Grandpa had put a lock on his door, but at the moment, Yugi couldn't have been more grateful as he shut the door and locked it. A second later he felt something or somebody slam against the door.

Sliding down the door, Yugi clutched at his left leg, it felt as if it was on fire, and Yugi had no water to quench the burning pain. Still Yugi needed help, so he half crawled half dragged himself over to the nightstand where one of the house phones sat. Grabbing it, Yugi quickly dialed Kaiba's number, praying that he would pick up.

**"****Yugi? What are you doing up? You should be sleeping." Kaiba answered in the form of a hello.**

"I was, but I woke up to Atem being in my room. He's in my house Kaiba, I don't know how he got in, but I'm scared out of my mind over here. Please I really need your help." Yugi said back in a quiet whisper hoping that Atem couldn't hear him.

**"****What?! How the heck does he know where you live?" Kaiba sounded frantic on the other line.**

"He helped me to carry home some groceries from the farmers market today. Kaiba, he's trying to break down the door to my Grandpa's room. Please, please, can you come over here?" Yugi said in a hurried whisper as a heavy object started to repeatedly slam against the door, each hit louder than the one before it.

**"****I'm on my way. Is there any other way out of that room Yugi?" Kaiba said and asked calmly.**

"No, but it was the only door with a lock. Please hurry." Yugi voice grew panicked as he started to hear the door crack under the abusive treatment it was receiving.

Yugi heard the line go dead on Kaiba's end, and Yugi stared at the phone in horror. Either Atem had done something to his cable line or Kaiba had hung up on him. Yugi prayed it was the latter, as the door started to splinter, meaning whatever Atem was doing it was working. Yugi just hoped that Kaiba got here before Atem managed to actually break down the door. Yugi didn't want to know what Atem had in store for him.

**I'm not very nice it seems. I leave ya'll with one cliffhanger, only to come back with another one. Oh, well, keeps ya'll wanting more. Thank you to everyone who are/have following/favorited this story. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review! Midnight ;p**


	9. Not your territory

**Well here you guys go, another chapter. I do not own Yugioh, enjoy!**

Chapter 8

Yugi looked around frantically for another way out, there was the window, but they were on the second floor, that wasn't going to work. It wouldn't hurt to try to trick Atem that Yugi had gotten out that way though. Dragging himself over, Yugi used the window sill to lift himself up so he could open the window. Once he had it open, Yugi shoved the curtains out the window too, to make it seem like he really had gone out that way.

Looking back around the bedroom Yugi noticed that the bed would be the only logical place to hide, dragging himself again, he scrambled to get underneath it. Once Yugi was under the bed, noticed that one of the boards in the bed's frame looked funny, it appeared to have a slit of space in it. Dragging his body over Yugi felt in that space, and eyes widening in amazement when the board rolled back to reveal a small space of sorts.

Thinking this was his only chance, as the wood was finally giving way; Yugi lifted himself into that small space, and was even more surprised when he tumbled into a crevice of sorts. Trying to close the door to this new hiding spot, Yugi found himself unable, as the handle was no bigger than that of the width of a penny. Scrambling in the track, Yugi found a penny, quickly using it; Yugi slid the door shut, and huddled in whatever small space he had fallen into. Clutching the penny to his chest, Yugi gave a tiny cry of fright as he heard the door finally give way to Atem's abuse.

"Alright, that was a really thick door, and an amazing kick. However, I do intend to punish you for your insolence Yu-what the?" Atem said loudly to the room. Yugi heard, he actually _heard_, Atem walking over to the window.

"No way, he couldn't of, not with that injury he had, there's no way he could have gotten out from here." Yugi heard Atem mutter to himself, making Yugi wonder just where he was exactly.

Obviously he was still in the room with Atem, but where, _where_ in the room with Atem was he? He had tumbled into this small hideaway spot, and looking at its design Yugi would guess that he was in the trunk at the end of his Grandpa's bed. But that was impossible, the trunk wasn't large enough for a person to fit into, so could he be under it somehow? As Yugi was contemplating this, Atem had walked away from the window, and had started to talk openly to the apparently empty room.

"Alright Yugi, I know how much you like games, so let's make a deal huh? _If_ I find you, we go on a date, that's it, just a date. If I _don't_,then you get away with my kindness free of charge, _this_ time." Atem wagered, hoping Yugi actually _was_ in the room, and he _wasn't_ talking to a big empty space.

Yugi shook slightly as Atem's footsteps grew closer, and a sudden sheen of light shined all around him, not an ounce touched him, but it magnified for Yugi just where he was. He was literally in the floor, under his Grandpa's shoe trunk, which left Yugi to wonder when his Grandpa had put this new addition into the house. At the moment though, Yugi was far from complaining, as the light was taken away, meaning Atem had shut the lid to the trunk.

Yugi remained as still as a shadow on the ground, as he heard Atem ripping the room apart to find him. He heard clothes hitting the ground, as Atem tore through his Grandpa's closet. The curtain from the bathroom thrown to the side, its bar clattering to the tile flooring. He heard Atem's frustrations as he ripped one drawer after another from the dresser. Last he heard the thump of knees hit the floor as Atem looked under the bed. A growling voice entered the room as Atem became even angrier at being unable to find his quarry.

"Where are you?" Atem growled out as Yugi heard a resounding thunk against his hiding spot.

It was silent in the room, as Atem just seemed to stand there, looking at the trunk. There was a squeak of floor boards as Atem bent down to examine this new discovery. It appeared that the trunk was nailed to the floor.

"But, why? Why nail down _this_ trunk to the floor? What does he think I'm going to do, take the shoes? Unless there's more to this trunk then meets the eye, unless it's hiding something underneath it." Atem said quietly to himself.

Yugi heard the scratch of blunt nails, as the trunk's handles were taking into two hands. This was it; Yugi as done for, Atem had found him. He couldn't go anywhere; the small space he was in was only as big as the trunk was. Yugi curled up in on himself as he waited for those nails to lift out of the floor one by one.

"YUGI?! YUGI WHERE ARE YOU?!" Kaiba's voice wretched through the still and silent house. Yugi heard the two handles fall back into place, as Atem released them in shock.

"Kaiba? The kid called Kaiba? The little devil, well until next time Yugi, you win this round." Atem whispered down at the trunk, before he hurried over to the window and jumped out of it.

Yugi heard something hit the ground outside his Grandpa's window, at the same time that he heard hurried footsteps up the stairs. Yugi scrambled to get out of his hideaway spot, fitting the penny into place he slid the door out of the way, and pulled himself out. Yugi was just climbing out from under the bed when Kaiba made it towards the door, which was thrown open wide, and had a hole in the middle.

"Oh my Ra, what did he do to this door? Your Grandpa and I thought this door could withstand anything. Apparently we were wrong." Kaiba said looking at it flabbergasted.

"I'm sure it could have, if the one trying to get in wasn't a persistent Atem." Yugi said quietly clutching his leg to him.

Kaiba looked down at him, before making his way through the trashed room to get to him. Scooping him up, Kaiba proceeded to Yugi's room, where he placed him on the bed. Kaiba then went and collected some things for Yugi and put them in a bag. Placing that bag on his shoulder, he re-picked up Yugi and carried him out of the house.

"Where are you taking me Kaiba?" Yugi asked not really caring, but wanting to know anyway.

"My mansion, until we can get your home Atem proofed, you'll be staying there." Kaiba said putting Yugi and the bag into his limo, before climbing in himself.

"Okay." Yugi said sleepily, before closing his eyes and falling asleep. Nothing made Yugi feel more at ease than being around his friends.

Kaiba waited five minutes before whipping out his phone and speed dialing Atem. He didn't have to wait long until he picked up. That was unusual; it normally took him two rings before he answered not one.

"What the hell Kaiba? I almost had the kid, and then you come bursting in? Who do you think you are, a _hero_?" Atem's voice yelled through the ear piece.

"Do mind talking in a more quiet voice, Yugi's sleeping. What were you doing in his house anyway? What right do you think you have to go in anyway?" Kaiba replied back in a fervent whisper.

"My neighborhood, my rules." Atem replied simply.

"Not that part it isn't, Yugi's house is exactly three blocks away from the Police Block. Do you really want to get that close, to the people who want to put you six feet under the most?" Kaiba asked vindictively.

"Ah-I-But-Ugh!" Atem couldn't even finish his thoughts he was so angry.

"I think you need some time to rethink your methods of action, Atem." Kaiba said briskly closing his phone with a sharp snap.

"KAI-!" Atem started to yell before he was cut off.

Atem stared at his phone in disbelief. The kid was on the other side of his tracks, no wonder he said that he didn't know anything about gangs or violence. He'd never been subjected to any kind of it, because he didn't live in the same area as most of the students of Domino High. He didn't live in his territory, the kid was undeniably in a safe zone, and Atem couldn't touch him.

Out of anything to happen tonight, this pissed Atem off the most. Knowing the kid was safe from his clutches just by his address, really got under his skin in a bad way. Atem really did have to think of a new plan of action, and he would have to have Marik, Bakura, and Otogi help him figure what to do. One way or another that kid was going to be his, even if it put him in jail.

[Time skip]

"He did what?!" Mira shouted into the phone.

"You heard me, he broke into Yugi's house and from the bruises on Yugi's lips it appears they shared a kiss as well." Kaiba said calmly into the phone.

"That little miscreant, it seems we need to re-establish his boundaries for him. Let him know where he stands, and where his territory _ends_." Mira said

"I've already told him, Mira, so you can forget whatever plan you've formed in your head. We don't need any more bloodshed between your two gangs." Kaiba said hurriedly.

"Yugi's in my territory, so you don't have a say about that, when The Demon's go after one of my own, I take that personally. No, Atem isn't going to get away with this; I'm going to make him pay for his destructive actions. Consider the Police Block hot on his trail; we keep the riffraff out, and the good in." Mira said vindictively before hanging up.

"Mira, I don't think violence is the answer. Mira? Damn it." Kaiba cursed when he realized he was trying to reason with a dead line.

This day was so not going according to plan. First Atem breaks into Yugi's house and trashes one of the rooms. Then he calls Mira hoping to get some reasoning form her, only to get her when she's already in a bad mood, and he caused more violence. It wasn't easy being the middle man sometimes. It seemed another meeting in the corner of everyone's territories was in order. This wasn't going to be any fun. What with Keith gone, Mira and Atem fighting over Yugi, and who knew what Mai was thinking, it was going to be one hell of a week.

**Thank you to everyone who have/are favorited/following this story. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed, Guest and User alike. Please review! Midnight ;p**


	10. What's going on?

**So here is the ninth chapter of TDC. Whoo! Right I do not own Yugioh or Harley Davidson Motorcyles, Enjoy!**

Chapter 9

"What's the deal Kaiba, calling us out here at this time of the night?" Penny asked.

"Yes I was rather enjoying my time with my new boy toy." put in Akeifa.

"Really, and who is it this time Akeifa-boy?" Pegasus asked.

"Like that's hardly any of your concern Pegasus." Akeifa retorted back.

"No do share Akeifa, what rat are you screwing this time?" Penny asked him.

Just as Akeifa was opening his mouth to respond to Penny, Kaiba cut in. He figured it was better to stop the fight before it began. Knowing those two as well as he did, this could go on for hours.

"Enough! That's enough, there are more important and pressing matters to deal with than you two squabbling like infants." Kaiba broke in.

"Really? Like what Kaiba-boy?" Pegasus asked while swirling some red fruit juice in a wine glass.

"Like the fact that Yugi Mutou is going to find himself in a tug of war battle between Mira Kiryu and Atem Sennen, Bandit Keith is dead, and what's Mai Valentine been up to Akeifa?" Kaiba said all of this in a way that made it sound like it was less of a big deal than it actually was.

"Well that explains why he never came back, after giving the money to Atem. I guess Satake is in charge now. May the world help us all." Pegasus groaned out.

"Mai has been trying to keep the streets clean, and track of my little brother Ryou Bakura. You know his boyfriend is over there in Atem's gang." Akeifa said with a weary sigh.

"Mira is having some problem with people taking money from the houses on the west side of the Farmer's Market, so she's having trouble with that. Then you call saying Atem isn't minding his borders, and that sent her through the roof. She woke up half of her Block, and sent them out to investigate your claims. When they came back anything _but_ empty handed, she's doubled her forces in every area. If you don't live in her territory, you're not getting in." Penny explained uneasily like she'd rather her job was anything but what it was at the moment.

"It was only a matter of time until Keith screwed up, I suppose I'm not all that surprised. Where's the body? What did he die for?" Pegasus put in before getting down to business.

"The body is in your jurisdiction now. As for the purpose of his death, he tried to rape Ryou and shoot Yugi." Kaiba said looking uneasily towards Akeifa.

"That son of a bitch did what!?" Akeifa yelled out.

"Tried Akeifa, tried. He wasn't actually able to get any further then Ryou's pants button, from what I was able to see." Kaiba tried to reason.

"And Yugi Mutou?" Penny asked with narrowed eyes.

"Just a leg injury, nothing too serious, Atem patched him up." Kaiba said solemnly.

"Damn." Penny cursed under her breath.

"No, absolutely not. Atem can't have a debt from Yugi Mutou, Atem owes Yugi more. I know Atem appears to the outside world not to give a damn about lives, but if you're able to peel back those many layers over his heart, you'll find that he actually does care. Or at least he did when we were younger." Akeifa shot down and then built up right away.

"Guys, the answer is sitting right here amongst us. Penny, where does Yugi Hikari Mutou live?" Kaiba stated like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Mira's territory, but my jurisdiction." She responded promptly.

"Exactly, as long as Yugi stays within your borders, he can't be touched." Kaiba said with much relief in his voice.

"And when he goes off to Tokyo University, what then?" Penny asked crushing Kaiba's hope where it was.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Pegasus butted in.

"Agreed." Akeifa said.

"Pegasus, Satake cannot be the next leader of the Bone Crushers, he just can't." Penny said getting straight down to the next bit of business.

"There is nothing I can do Penny, he is next in line of command. You're right though, it's dangerous to put that much power into his hands, that's why Keith was in charge. Damn it, what am I supposed to do? I can't put Satake in charge, but I can't _not_ put him in charge either." Pegasus started to grip his hands into fists, a sure sign of his stress.

"Keep him on a short leash." Akeifa whispered out.

"Hmm?" Pegasus questioned.

"I said keep him on a short leash. Until he can handle the pressure of being the boss, a leader, keep him under close watch. I had to do that for Mai when she was taking over for Dartz for the Screaming Riders. She rose to the challenge quite well, and now look at her, cleaning the streets Dartz wouldn't dare to get close to." Akeifa suggested and bragged at the same time.

"She's trying to control Pepper and Nylon?" Penny asked in disbelief.

"Not just Penny, she's also on top of Shower, Speaker, Pawpaw, Ring, Cross, Water, Promise, and Duck. Next week she's going to try to control Wipers, Purple, Pluto, Bear, Grove, Tree, Taser, Button, Trigger, and Hot." Akeifa said with a bit of pride in his voice.

"Tch, she's insane. Well at least we don't have to worry about her getting mixed up in a tug of war scenario." Penny said shaking her head before turning to Kaiba.

"What about you Penny, you said something about money issues?" Pegasus prompted.

"Oh, yes! It seems some low lives have taken it as their own duty to collect money from the people who live on the west side of the Farmer's Market. There are about five of them going around collecting, what was it again, oh yes, protection fees. Mira finally got some of the names last night form Rebecca, and she was pissed. It was a group of freshmen from Domino High that had somehow wormed its way into her gang through cheerleading. Then you called, Kaiba, right after she got off the phone with Rebecca, and it was just like the cherry on top of her cake." Penny explained with fake enthusiasm.

"Who did she send to check it out?" Kaiba asked wearily.

"Her best, Serenity, Rebecca, Anzu, and Vivian. Poor girls they just got back from scoping out a few houses that had been hit with this 'protection fee' only to be sent right out again. Those freshmen cost us 20 G's." Penny said with slight venom in her tone.

"My Ra, how much were they charging!?" Akeifa exclaimed.

"Heh, no idea, nor do we know how many houses they hit. Well we don't yet, but that's going to change in the next 24-48 hours, guarantee it." Penny said in a highly aggravated and annoyed tone.

"Should we expect some bodies over on Euchre and Cribbage?" Kaiba asked.

"Yes, five of them, two from your jurisdiction Pegasus, one from yours Akeifa, and the last two are from my own." Penny said in a slightly remorseful tone.

"Take care of them; I have enough to deal with at the current moment." Pegasus said with a simple wave of his hand.

"Send the one over here, Mai will take care of the bitch." Akeifa said in a finalizing tone.

"Alright, we'll take care of the four, and send the fifth on home. I really dislike it when they switch borders." Penny nodded before shaking her head.

Everyone laughed at Penny's comment. They all knew exactly how she felt, they too disliked border jumpers. There was nothing they could do though; it all depended on who got to whom first. The leaders tried to keep an eye on everyone within their territory, but they could only do so much to protect them from a gang's life. It was on their streets, it was in their homes, it was a part of their lives.

"What about Atem?" Akeifa asked suddenly.

"He's trying to figure a way around the whole territory rules." Kaiba said with a slight sigh. Akeifa snorted.

"Good luck, those things are set in stone. They were set that way so we didn't have another big war on our hands. That was awful, Mai locked Ryou in the panic room, he was only three when it happened." Akeifa shuddered at the memory.

"Heh, Yugi was almost four, and his Grandpa begged me to take him until the war was over. Yugi was scared to be parted from his Grandpa for years after that. I locked Mokuba, Yugi, and myself in my Step-Father's panic room under his urgent request. He never came back, body was never found; I still wonder what happened to him sometimes." Kaiba said with a forlorn look on his face.

"We only had to worry about Malik Ishtar, but his sister and step-brother had already locked him up somewhere. Some hideaway that we still don't know about, nor have we found." Pegasus put in.

"We had the most kids, and we put them in different safe houses. There was Rebecca, Jou, Honda, Vivian, Serenity, Mira, Anzu, Yugi, and Valon. But Solomon was able to convince you to take Yugi, Kaiba, so there was one less life to worry about. But since then Valon's moved into Mai's territory; Jou, Serenity, and Honda into Atem's, and the rest stayed here. Except Serenity who plans to move back when she turns 18. How's Jou taking that by the way?" Penny said grudgingly before asking a curios question.

"I don't think he knows." said Kaiba in slight confusion himself.

"Oh, then don't tell him I said anything." Penny said looking uneasy.

"He wouldn't have anything to worry about anyway. Jou knows Mira takes care of Serenity better than Atem does." Kaiba said back like it was no big deal.

Penny made a _phew_ motion making the others laugh. They all sat in a comfortable silence for a while until it was broken by a faint scuffling noise. Turning around they saw a cat coming out from behind the bushes, and walk straight up to Penny. She looked down at the calico cat shaking her head slightly before picking it up and holding it. Taking a piece of paper out of its collar, Penny sat the cat back down to read it. Her eyes widened the further they got down the paper.

"I have to go, we found the miscreants that have been stealing from our territory, expect a package soon Akeifa." Penny shouted running off.

"I guess the meetings over." Pegasus said getting up and walking over to a limo that was just pulling up.

"See you in two days for a more formal meeting." Akeifa said swinging his leg over a black Harley.

"I can't wait to see what turns up." Kaiba said back making his way to his own limo.

A few leaves rustled in the branches of the trees, while flower petals fell to the ground below. The air was warm with a slight chill on its wind. The park looked as peaceful as it always did. No one would guess that this piece of land was the corner mark, the neutral zone, the only piece of land that connected every gang to one another. This park is where that war started a long time ago, but it had finished in everyone's territory. Thus it was decided that the park would be the neutral zone, and it was the place that all meetings were held in the dead of night. If only that war had never happened, maybe things would have been different, maybe things could have changed.

**Sorry for swearing everyone, it's unavoidable in gang related violence though. But I'm sorry for swearing anyway! Yay, now I can start to work on TYIHC. Anyway, Thank you to everyone who reviewed Guest and user alike. Also thanks to everyone who have/are favorited/following this story, though your opinions are welcome too. Please Review! Midnight ;p**


	11. Unwanted protection

**And here I thought I was going to be late. Phew! Certainly dodged a bullet there. I do not own Volvo or Yugioh, enjoy. **

Chapter 10

Yugi yawned as he made his way onto the school grounds that chilly April morning. It had been a pretty eventful weekend, first he got shot, then Atem broke into his house and trashed his Grandpa's room, and last Kaiba refused to let him leave the house, even to go for a walk through the park. This forced him to sneak out instead, the park wasn't as pretty at night as it was during the day, but it was still something.

Coming onto the grounds Yugi was immediately grabbed from behind and with one hand over his mouth was dragged off. Yugi thrashed trying to get out of the grip of whoever had him. It was in vain as the person didn't even seem to be effected by his movements. Almost like, he was nothing more than a squirming babe trying to get out of his Mother's arms. As soon as they were behind the school the person threw him against the wall and none too gently either.

Looking up, Yugi was surprised to find the cheerleaders in front of him, or more specifically, Mira, Serenity, Rebecca, Vivian, and Anzu. The looks they were giving him frightened him a bit, because they had never looked at him that way before. They were looking at him as if he was a problem that needed to be taken care of, before it got out of hand. Backing up into the wall as far as he could go, Yugi looked around and saw that there was no escape route; he was trapped by the cheerleaders, something that seemed so out of character for them.

"Uh, can I help you girls?" Yugi asked breaking the suffocating silence.

"Where were you this weekend and why weren't you at home? In the Kame Game Shop?" Mira asked immediately. Even her voice seemed out of character than when she usually spoke to him. It was hard, commanding, firm, and cold, Yugi knew he had heard it before, but couldn't place where.

"Uh, I was at Kaiba's. Um, this guy named Atem broke into my house and I called Kaiba to come get me. He did, and so I spent the weekend at his house." Yugi explained quickly not really sure why he was nervous.

"I see, well the five of us will be walking you home today. You know, to make sure you have no more run-ins with Atem. When you get home, Serenity and Rebecca will help you pack a bag, from there, you will be escorted by car to my place." Mira said in a voice that just demanded that it be listened to. Yugi was starting to piece together, the longer he heard it, where he had heard it before.

"Uh, thank you for the offer, but I think I'm fine." Yugi said back smiling slightly.

"I wasn't offering a choice Mutou, I was telling you what you were going to do." Mira said back and with those simple words Yugi knew where he had heard it before. Three years ago when he was 15, he'd heard the exact same sentence directed at his Grandfather.

_Yugi crept quietly to the edge of the stairway, and listened into the conversation going on in the shop._

_"__But I don't understand we've always paid for protection, why are we no longer required to do so?" Grandpa was asking._

_"__Simple Mr. Mutou, because your Grandson's fame is causing more and more people to go to the Farmer's Market, we no longer need your money. In return the amount you will be made to pay at the Farmer's Market will be lessened of course, if you heed to our agreement." A cold voice responded back._

_"__I haven't agreed to anything. I also do not feel that it's right to use my Grandson in such a way. I will not use his fame to get ahead of my neighbors, it just isn't right." Grandpa countered._

_"__Do I look like I care, Mr. Mutou?" the voice asked back in disbelief._

_"__Well you should, you run this neighborhood. Everyone pays, those are the rules!" Grandpa said back firmly._

_"__Rules can be changed." The voice said back haughtily._

_"__Look, thank you for the offer but my Grandson and I are fine. With all of his fame we are getting more than enough to pay our dues and live comfortable enough lives." Grandpa said in a tone that screamed the end._

_"__I wasn't offering a choice Mr. Mutou, I was telling you what you were going to do." The voice said back firmly in a cold voice and with no room for argument. Footsteps were then heard, and the ding of the bell on the shops door, signaled the person to be gone._

_"__Grandpa, who was that?" Yugi asked coming out of his hiding spot on the stairs._

_"__What Yugi? Get upstairs and study!" his Grandpa turned in surprise before using a thundering voice towards him to get back upstairs. Yugi could count on one hand how many time his Grandpa had used that voice before and it always meant his Grandpa was stressing about something he didn't want Yugi to know about._

_"__But I've alrea-." Yugi stared to say._

_"__NOW!" Grandpa yelled._

_Yugi scrambled to heed his Grandpa's orders, and get back upstairs, whatever was going on, it was serious. Whenever things were serious, Yugi wasn't supposed to be around unless given express permission. Those time were few and far between, and apparently now wasn't one of them._

"It was you, Mira, you made Grandpa so angry that day when I was 15. What exactly were you using my fame for that was making Grandpa so against it?" Yugi asked accusingly.

Mira blinked in surprise, she hadn't even known he had been listening in on that conversation. As quick as the surprise came it was gone again, and replaced with a mask of indifference. She glared softly at Yugi, before she simply shrugged and turned her head away from him. What that was supposed to mean, Yugi hadn't a clue.

"Anzu and Vivian will remain with you throughout the day. Wherever you go so do they, except in the bathroom they shall remain outside the doors then." Mira continued to order.

"I don't need any babysitters." Yugi sneered back.

"I beg to differ, considering that Friday night was your _third_ time running into Atem. You also came across him in the Labyrinth Alleyway, at the Farmer's Market, and last he broke into your house. You definitely need a babysitter, if we don't want another war. I refuse to let history repeat itself. Stay away from Atem Sennen, or I will make you stay away from him." Mira retorted back instantly.

"Hey, it's my life." Yugi argued.

"Not anymore. Let's go, Yugi has class." Mira whispered back quietly before talking in a louder voice.

Yugi never realized just how strong these girls were before, but apparently they had some muscle underneath those cheerleading outfits. Anzu swiftly grabbed him by his upper arm and proceeded to drag him to his first class. They didn't have first period together, but he, Vivian, and Rebecca did. In fact Rebecca had all the same classes except one with him. Even better, he realized, none of the cheerleaders had that class with him.

Having enough of being dragged by his arm, and the fact that it was starting to get uncomfortable, Yugi ripped his arm from Anzu's grasp. Rubbing the offended appendage, Yugi looked at both of the girls who simply had an eyebrow raised at him. He dropped his arms at his side, heaved his backpack up his shoulders a bit, and made a sharp statement.

"I can walk just fine, thank you." Yugi said albeit rudely.

He started to walk away, but paused when he didn't hear them following him. Yugi turned and looked over his shoulder at them, and was met with a peculiar sight. Both girls looked after him, turned to each other, shrugged and started after him. Shaking his head Yugi turned back around, and hurried to his class.

[Time skip]

The day was turning into an absolute nightmare for Yugi. True to her word, Mira had Vivian and Anzu attend every one of his classes; it appeared that the girls had a schedule change or something. It was almost the end of the year, why even bother? They were even in that one class he originally _had_ _no_ cheerleaders in. So desperate was Yugi to get away from them, that he went all the way down to the first floor, just to go to the bathroom. How he got there, he _accidently_ dropped one of his notebooks down the stairwell, and _conveniently_ just had to use the bathroom, once he was on the first floor. Once he was in the bathroom, he climbed out the window, yeah he was that small, and made a break for it.

Yugi ran all the way to the park, where he finally stopped to catch a breather. Looking around he saw Penny on one of the benches, and surprisingly she had and arm and a leg wrapped up. Walking over to her, he sat down, and waited for his presence to be noticed.

"Hello Yugi." Penny said once she had noticed him.

"Hi Penny, what happened?" Yugi asked motioning to her injuries.

"We had a little trouble the other night, and I got shot twice in crossfire." Penny said back starting to look around.

"Ouch." Yugi winced.

"Mmhmm, where are Anzu and Vivian?" Penny agreed before coming to the conclusion that he was indeed _alone_.

"I ditched them." Yugi said back simply.

"Where?" Penny asked.

"Outside of the first floor boys bathroom at school." Yugi said back giving a more specific answer this time.

"Was that really necessary?" Penny asked in a slightly scolding tone.

"Yes, because I can only stand _so_ much cheerleader. I get that Mira has a gang to run, and you to keep her in track, but was this your idea?" Yugi said exasperatedly before becoming accusatory.

"No, for once the brilliant plan was all Mira's." Penny said back shaking her head with a smile on her face.

"Pfft, brilliant, it had a few flaws." Yugi mumbled back.

"Obviously, otherwise you wouldn't be here alone with me, now would you?" Penny asked in a quiet voice looking Yugi directly in the eyes.

Yugi stared back into Penny's rich stormy grey eyes for a moment before ducking his head like a scolded child. Reaching over with her good left hand, Penny grasped his shoulder in a comforting gesture. Yugi looked up at the dark skinned hand on his shoulder and gave the shoulder a roll. Penny gave it one last squeeze before letting her hand drop back to her side.

"It's this weekend isn't it?" Penny asked suddenly.

"Yeah." Yugi whispered out looking from his shoulder back down to his hands, as if they had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the world.

"We'll be there Yugi, all of us, to comfort you." Penny said softly.

"Thanks." Yugi chocked out tears already forming in his eyes and slipping down his face.

A sudden sound of a car screeching to a halt caught both of their attention and they lifted their heads to look up as they saw a White Volvo pull up to the park. Yugi whimpered he knew that car, which meant the owner knew he wasn't at school. Which in turn meant Yugi was in _trouble_.

Mira opened the door and got out; slamming the door back shut, and made her way over to Yugi. Yugi got up and sat on the other side of Penny. Mira heard Penny laughing something out from a distance though not the actual words that were said.

"I don't think changing your seat to hide behind me is going to help you Yugi." Penny laughed out to the boy.

"It can't hurt to try, right?" Yugi asked back with nervousness in his voice and fear starting to lace it.

"You left." Mira said as soon as she was standing in front of them.

"I-I needed some air." Yugi stuttered out with a hopeful smile on his face.

"You left through the window Yugi. You were seen by no less than seven cheerleaders running through the grounds and out the back gates. What were you thinking?" Mira continued like she hadn't heard Yugi.

"That it was better than going out the front gates, because Atem might be there?" Yugi tried. Mira sighed out at this comment closing her eyes. Before reopening them and nodding at him.

"Okay, so you were at least thinking, when you ran away. Next time don't, come to me if my girls are giving you problems, don't run from them. I have just spent the last two hours looking for you and having every one of my members who don't attend school, looking for you as well." Mira said grudgingly before her manner became stiff and direct again.

"Am I really that important?" Yugi asked in disbelief.

"For what Kaiba is paying me to keep you safe? Yeah, you're very important!" Mira retorted back instantly without even thinking. Yugi felt Penny stiffen next to him as at the same time he saw Mira's eyes widen.

"Kaiba's doing what?" Yugi asked standing up.

"Nothing, it isn't any of your concern." Mira said back briskly.

"It's about me! So it does concern me!" Yugi said back raising his voice slightly.

"Drop it." Mira ordered.

"No! I want to know how much Kaiba is paying you to keep me away from Atem!" Yugi yelled at Mira.

"I said drop it!" Mira ordered again only this time the back of her hand came flying.

_SMACK!_

Yugi's head whipped to the side at the sheer force of the slap. Yugi carefully placed his hand against the tingling flesh of his left cheek, wincing when that even hurt. This pain was nothing like being shot, because when he was shot, he never felt a single thread of betrayal.

"Yugi." Mira quietly whispered her own voice shaking slightly.

Yugi's eyes snapped up to hers, and as she took a hesitant step forward he took two back. Shaking his head and holding a quivering hand to his cheek, he slowly backed away from Mira and Penny. Mira made no more steps toward him and instead reached out her right hand, as if asking him to come back and take it, or perhaps to stop him. He could tell from Penny's expression that she knew he was going to take off, but Mira looked as if she hadn't quite caught on yet.

"S-stay away f-from me, just stay away." Yugi stuttered out before taking off.

"Very nice Mira." Penny said shortly after Yugi's figure had completely vanished into Satake's territory. Yugi was headed for Malik's.

"Shut up Penny." Mira said back but with none of her normal force in her words.

"Yugi isn't one of you members, he's a civilian. Your word isn't his law, his life is his law, and he will most likely abide by what his friends tell him to do first, then what you do. Lay a hand on Yugi Mutou again, especially in my, your peacekeeper, presence and I guarantee you won't like the consequences. You know the rules; civilians are off limits for corporeal punishment, target practice, and territory grabs. We have rules for a reason, and rules are expected to be followed." Penny's voice was crisp, cold, and hollow.

Mira remained silent, and didn't say a thing. She knew better, to say something would mean punishment for sure. As it was Mira could already feel the nonexistent sting of the many scars she already had from preexisting punishments on her back. So Mira remained silent, while Penny called Pegasus to do some damage control.

**I have a problem and was wondering if you guys could help me out. I need a hair color for Penny that isn't blonde. Any suggestions? Her Eye color is a rich stormy grey and skin color is dark skinned so black. No blonde hair anything else goes. Right, thank you to everyone who have/are favorited/following this story. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. And two, we were two reviews away from 100, we shouldn't have any problem reaching that number this time should we? Oh, I sure hope not, that would be review! Midnight ;p**


	12. Clubbing

**Now, where were we? Ah, yes, I recall now! Chapter 11, that's where we were. I have a poll up om my profile for you guys to vote in. It is for whatever story you want me to work on next. I do not own Yugioh, Cyclone by Baby Bash ft T-Pain, or Apple Bottom Jeans by T-Pain, enjoy!**

Chapter 11

"He's where?" Pegasus asked in disbelief through the phone.

_"__Your territory, he ran into it about 30 seconds ago. Keep a sharp eye." Penny's voice said through the phone._

"Keep a sharp eye? What do you want me to do? Send him skipping on home if I see him?" Pegasus asked with sarcastic disbelief.

_"__Actually, that's not a bad idea, remember what tonight is. No one is allowed to leave their territories to go to the meeting until all are accounted for. Which means Malik needs to be home too." Penny said again through the phone._

Pegasus Groaned in frustration. What was it lately with trouble makers recently, not that Yugi was usually a trouble maker, but still. He was known to jump borders, if mostly it was to see his friends, he was still known to do it.

"Right, if we see Yugi-boy we'll send him home. The meeting has already been postponed once, I'd much rather not have to cancel again." Pegasus said albeit reluctantly.

_"__Agreed. We're looking here in our territory if he comes back; I highly doubt it will be willing though." Penny said sounding tired._

"Why do you doubt he'll come back willingly?" Pegasus asked curios.

_"__That's my business." Penny's response was sharp and curt._

"I understand." Pegasus said backing off. Apparently it was something penny was none too pleased with. So it must have been something that Mira had done.

_"__I shall see you, Satake, and his right hand, and two lackeys tonight." Penny said before the sound of a phone snapping shut was heard._

"Yeah, goodbye to you to." Pegasus said to the dead line snapping his own phone shut.

"What's the problem?" Ishizu asked from behind him.

Pegasus sighed and turned to her. Ever since Satake had taken over, things had changed. Whether it was for the better, Pegasus wasn't sure. Satake had oput himself in charge of cash flow, Ishizu in charge of discipline and problems, and his two lackeys in charge of keeping track of everyone.

Pegasus rubbed his right hand over his face, sighing again. Ishizu waited patiently for him to answer. When he finally did, nothing of what he had to say surprised her in the slightest.

"Yugi is headed this way towards your house for Malik. I think he's seeking comfort for something that happened to him recently." Pegasus said gravely.

"I'd be more surprised if he hadn't been, judging by the fading handprint on the side of his face. He and Malik took off for Ryou's a few seconds ago. I just got in." Ishizu said back smirking slightly that she managed to get one up on him.

"And you just let them go? Ishizu, sweetheart, the meeting between territories is tonight." Pegasus said raising his eyebrows with a look that screamed 'are you stupid' on his face.

"Oh, shoot, it totally slipped my mind when I saw Yugi." Ishizu said squeezing her eyes as if expecting a punishment.

"I'll call Akeifa, and we'll put a stop to the border jumping right there." Pegasus said whipping out his phone and pressing the number four on his phone. He had to wait all of a minute and 30 seconds for Akeifa to answer, and how he answered the phone had Pegasus's blood run cold for half a second.

_"__Just make sure you're back here by midnight Ryou, there's a meeting tonight. It's already been cancelled once, and can't be done so again." Akeifa's voice said as he answered the phone._

"You're letting them go out?" Pegasus growled out into the phone as he heard a faint response in the background.

_"__Yeah, where's the harm?" Akeifa asked._

"I suppose if they're back by midnight, there isn't any. Where are they going?" Pegasus asked.

_"__Hell if I know." Was Akeifa's response._

"You didn't ask?" Pegasus asked in a slightly frustrated tone.

_"__No, cause it's none of my damn business where Ryou goes with his friends. Bye, Peg." Akeifa said before hanging up._

"YOU'RE HIS BROTHER, HOW CAN IT NOT BE YOUR BUISNESS?!" Pegasus all but screamed into the already dead phone.

"This, is going to be a long night, isn't it?" Ishizu asked Pegasus as he closed his phone.

"Yes." Pegasus sighed out.

[With Yugi]

Yugi ran all the way to Malik's house, he couldn't believe that Mira had actually just hit him like that. He needed a friend, and one he had known his entire life. Malik was closer than Ryou at the moment, so he headed for his house.

When Yugi burst through the door he ran straight into Ishizu who looked as if she was just leaving. She steadied him before he could fall, and got a good look at him. She gasped at the fading handprint on his face, and the tear streaks down his eyes.

"Is Malik home?" Yugi asked in shaky breaths.

"Yes, Yugi who did this to you?" Ishizu responded slowly before tilting his face in concern.

"Mira got angry with me, and slapped me across the face." Yugi responded.

"Well, I sure hope she pays for her actions. Malik!" Ishizu said distractedly before calling for Malik.

"Yeah, sis, what do you wan-Yugi!" Malik said coming down the stairs before catching Yugi's state and rushing down the stairs to stand in front of him.

"Come on, Ryou needs to know about this too." Yugi said grabbing Malik's hand before he could speak and dragging him out the door.

"Tread carefully you two!" Ishizu shouted after their retreating figures.

They waved at her to show that they had heard. Malik soaked in Yugi's horrible state and came to a confident conclusion. Yugi looked like hell.

"You look as if you could use a night out." Malik said.

"Why do you think we're grabbing Ryou?" Yugi asked as they reached his house. It was lucky for them that he lived on the border of Satake's territory.

"I'll get him, you stay here." Malik suggested shoving Yugi behind some bushes. Yugi squatted down, and waited for Ryou and Malik to come back.

He didn't have to wait long as he heard Ryou shout something back to his brother Akeifa. When Yugi saw Malik's feet he crawled back out of the bushes and faced them both. Ryou gasped at Yugi's tear stricken face.

"Why were you crying Yugi?" Ryou asked gently.

"Mira smacked me when I asked her to tell me how much Kaiba was paying her to keep me safe and away from Atem." Yugi explained reluctantly.

"He's doing what?" Ryou and Malik asked at the same time.

"Yeah, it surprised me too. I don't want to think about it though, I just want to go clubbing. Just the three of us, sound good?" Yugi said waving it away, before asking a question.

"Sounds great, so the usual place club 109?" Malik asked Yugi.

"No, if you don't live in Mira's territory, you're not getting in." Yugi said shaking his head.

Malik's phone beeped signaling he had a text message. He checked it grimacing, before shutting it without responding. He turned back to the other two.

"Well, the clubs Hot Rod and Sweet Candy are out. Ryou?" Malik said shifting his eyes away to the other boy.

"Nope, Slick Dip, Mega Beat, and Cuddly Koala are out as well, which just leaves the ones in Atem's territory." Ryou said snapping his own phone shut without responding to his own text message.

"Well which one doesn't he frequent out of Purple Lightning and Stormy Haze?" Yugi asked with hooded eyes.

"The Purple Lightning." Ryou said promptly.

"Purple Lightning it is." Yugi said.

[Atem]

"You think he's where?" Atem asked into the phone.

_"__You heard me Atem; I believe he's in one of your clubs." Mira said aggravated through the phone._

"And what would drive him all the way into the middle of my territory?" Atem asked.

_"__Me. I drove him over there. Look he's not in any of ours, he isn't at 109, Turntables, Steep Ride, Stick Shift, Hot Rod, Sweet Candy, Slick Dip, Mega Beat, or Cuddly Koala. So he has to be at one of your two clubs. Would you just look for him?" Mira asked getting more aggravated by the second._

"What's in it for me if I find him?" Atem asked becoming interested.

_"__I'll let you and Yugi work that out. Just find him. The sooner you find him, the sooner we can all get to the meeting." Mira said before hanging up._

"Teh, the kid would have to be suicidal at the very least to wander willingly back into my territory." Atem sitting up from the position he was lying down in.

"So what's cooking?" Marik asked standing in Atem's bedroom doorway.

"Apparently Yugi Mutou, Mira seems to think he wandered willingly back into our territory." Atem said getting up and stretching.

"Get Bakura and Duke?" Marik asked.

"Yeah, we're going hunting, in our own clubs." Atem said grabbing his guns and hiding one in his waistband the other in his sock.

"Yo Bakura, Duke! Time to get up and loaded, we're going out tonight!" Marik shouted down the hallway as he made his way to his own room.

"No shit, we have that meeting tonight." Bakura shouted back.

"Nah, we're going out on the town, seems we have some trespassers." Marik shouted back.

"Perfect, it's been a while since we lit someone up." Duke said locking a magazine into each of his guns before hiding them on his person.

"We can't light this person up, Duke. The one we're hunting is the KOG." Atem explained meeting his boys in the front room where they held meetings.

"So where do we start?" Bakura asked.

"The Stormy Haze. Knowing him, he'll probably deduce that we always go to the Stormy Haze, so the best spot would be to go to the Purple Lightning. However, he would probably assume we would go to look for him there first, so he'd go to the Stormy haze instead. So we go to the Stormy Haze." Atem explained.

"Truly, those who are intelligent have a dizzy intellect." Marik said pushing up from the wall and walking out. Bakura, Duke, and Atem following.

[Yugi]

"Come on! They're playing Cyclone!" Yugi yelled over the noise as he dragged Ryou and Malik out on the dance floor again.

"Ugh, Yugi, you have too much energy!" Malik yelled back.

"Come on Malik, you know we are hot dancing to this song!" Ryou yelled to him as they put Yugi in the middle, with Malik behind him, and Yugi pressed up against Ryou's back.

"Why am I always in the middle?" Yugi grumbled.

"Cause you're the only one who isn't taken." Malik said starting to grind against him, making Yugi grind against Ryou, which in turn made Ryou grind back into him.

None of the boys noticed the hungry lust filed stares directed at them. They were too wrapped up in their own world, grinding against one another, with their eyes closed as the moved. They especially didn't notice the DJ, making a phone call to the last person they wanted to find them.

"Yeah, a miniature you!" the DJ shouted over the music, one finger pressed into his ear.

"Whatever I have to? Yeah, no, I can do that. No, he has Ryou and Malik with him too. Yeah, Purple Lightning, that's where I am right now. No, I'm the DJ here. Okay, I'll have eyes on them at all times. No, I won't let them leave. Right, bye." The DJ hung up the phone, and motioned for one of the bouncers to come over.

The DJ pointed out Yugi and his companions and told the bouncer to not them leave. He nodded when he heard where the order was coming from. He moved around to the other bouncers and one by one delivered the message. Yugi and his friends couldn't have gotten out even if they had wanted to.

They didn't have a particular reason to though, as the next song that came on was Apple Bottom Jeans. Though, when that song was over they all agreed that no matter the next song, they were heading back to their booth for a break. Not one of them saw Atem, Bakura, Marik, and Duke enter the club and start to search for them.

"Come on. Let's get back to our booth!" Yugi shouted as he began to walk back to the booth.

He never noticed that Ryou and Malik were grabbed by Bakura and Marik, nor did he notice that it was Duke and Atem following him. Well, he didn't notice until he sat down and Atem slid in next to him, trapping him between the wall and himself. Yugi's eyes widened in horror as he pressed his back into the wall like he hoped it would swallow him up.

"Hello Yugi, it's been awhile." Atem said smirking at him.

**So in case you forgot between the top and now, I have a poll up on my Profile for ya'll to vote on the next story I will be working on. It will be up until I've posted two chapters of this story and tece, by then everyone who would have wanted to vote should have been able to. Thank you to everyone who have/are Favorited/following this story. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review! Midnight ;p**


	13. Hi Atem

**Okay there has been a rumor going around about my story lately, I just want to say, no, it's not true to any and all who've heard about it.** **Anyway, I do not own yugioh, or Bud Weiser beer, enjoy.**

Chapter 12

"H-hi, Atem. Have you seen Ryou or Malik? I could have sworn they were right behind me." Yugi replied nervously.

"Yes, I did see them briefly, before Marik and Bakura got a hold of them." Atem replied smirking at Yugi.

"Oh." Yugi said before he glanced down quickly underneath the table. A look that didn't go unmissed by Atem.

"Don't even think about it." Atem said sternly.

"Think about what?" Yugi asked starting to slide down.

"You know exact-!" Atem started to say moving in quickly on Yugi.

He was too slow as Yugi was all ready underneath the table. Atem only managed to pin the wall, as Yugi popped back up on the other side. Atem turned to face him, his back leaning up against the wall that Yugi had been occupying less than a second ago.

"I like this side better." Yugi said with wide eyes.

"Do you now, how come?" Atem asked pushing away from the wall so he was sitting directly across from Yugi right on the edge of the booth's seating.

"You're not on it." Yugi responded swiftly.

"Ah, get lost Duke." Atem responded before leaning his head back to look at Duke.

"Sure you can handle him alone? I mean he does have a history of slipping out of your grasp." Duke said looking down at him and seeing Yugi slip out of the booth in the corner of his eye.

"Where could he possibly go?" Atem asked.

"That's a good question, you should ask him." Duke responded nodding his head in Yugi's direction.

Atem looked at the booth in front of him to find it empty. He looked to the left to see Yugi sneaking his way down the aisle away from him. Cursing he slid out of the booth and gave chase. He managed to grab Yugi by only taking three steps in his direction, not much of a head start.

"I swear you're very committed to make me look incompetent." Atem whispered in his ear steering the boy in the opposite direction of whence he was previously headed.

"Why is it working?" Yugi asked earning a chuckle from Atem.

"Come, I wish to talk with you in private." Atem said steering him up some stairs.

"I highly doubt that. I should probably just go ho-home." Yugi muttered before turning his body only for it to be jerked forward again.

"Oh, don't worry I'll take you home Yugi, when I feel ready to." Atem whispered in his ear as they came to a room that said V.I.P. Only.

"I'd rather just go home now." Yugi replied looking up Atem and nodding his head as if begging Atem to agree with him.

"You're cute. Now get in there." Atem said laughing and cupping Yugi's chin briefly before shoving him into the room.

Yugi stumbled into the room, nearly falling flat on his face. He managed to catch his balance though a as a resounding click was heard from behind him. Yugi turned to see Atem replacing a key around his neck. Yugi then turned to look at the room. It was like someone had raided a Goth store, and placed it in this room. The furniture was black, the carpet red, and the drapes covering the window a mixture of both colors.

Yugi winced as his upper arm was grabbed in a tight grip and he was led over to the couch. There he was unceremoniously dropped onto it, Atem plopping down next to him. Atem turned to Yugi only to see the boy look away.

"Talk to me Yugi. What could be so bad that it would drive you into the middle of my territory?" Atem stated lacing his fingers together and resting his forearms on his thighs, leaning over slightly.

"I've had a bad weekend and then this Monday, it just pushed me past my limit." Yugi immediately divulged.

It almost made Atem want to laugh, almost. He had thought for sure Yugi would take more time than that to spill. Apparently things were pretty bad for the kid though, if he was willing to talk this easily.

"What happened today?" Atem questioned.

"I was kidnapped by Mira's crew. It forced me to climb out of the bathroom window and run across campus to the back entrance. I ran all the way to the park, that's where Mira found me. She let something slip out about Kaiba paying her to keep me safe, and when I demanded more information about it, guess what she did?" Yugi had gotten off the couch and was pacing the room waving his hands wildly as he talked. Atem just leaned back against the couch and placed both of his arms spread eagle across the backrest.

"What did she do?" Atem asked. He never expected the answer the received.

"She slapped me." Yugi said turning to him betrayal and hurt evident in his eyes.

Yugi looked so lost and vulnerable Atem really didn't know what to do. So he stood up and took Yugi's hand guiding him to sit back on the couch. Atem then ordered some water for Yugi and a beer for him to be brought up. Hanging up the phone, Atem turned to find Yugi on the far side of the couch, as far away from him as possible.

"Am I really that unappealing to you Yugi?" Atem asked raising one of his eyebrows.

Yugi turned his head a fraction towards Atem before shaking it. He then went back to staring at the arm rest, only barely feeling the cushions shift as Atem moved closer to him. Yugi stood up and moved away from the couch as he felt the cushion next to the one he was sitting on sink down with the weight of another person.

Yugi moved across the room, feeling Atem's eyes watching his every movement. Yugi sat down in the only armchair in the room. He then faced Atem, wrapping his arms around himself. He knew he had made himself vulnerable to Atem and he wasn't comfortable with it. He needed time to rebuild his walls a bit.

"Tch, I'm not a particular fan of the game cat and mouse Yugi. Though, lately that seems to be the only game you like playing with me. Well, that and hide and seek." Atem said getting up when a knock was heard at the door.

Atem unlocked and opened the door. Letting the waiter in, he told him to set the drinks on the table. Atem didn't miss the sympathetic look that the waiter sent Yugi either, before he left. Closing the door on the waiter's heels, he relocked it.

Walking over to the table, Atem grabbed the water and took it over to Yugi, handing it to the kid. Yugi took hesitantly, and started to drink it in slow small sips. Atem went to back to the table and opened his Bud Weiser bottle and started to take large gulps of the liquid. It burned its way down his throat, and tasted foul, but he didn't mind.

After the beer was finished he figured he had given Yugi enough time to recuperate from whatever breakdown he was experiencing. Stalking over to the boy he grabbed him off the chair and dragged him back to the couch. Dropping Yugi on it, Atem immediately started to climb on top of him. Once the kid was officially pinned to the couch under Atem's weight, he started to kiss him.

It was as rough and aggressive as it was the first time. Yugi struggled to get Atem off him, but finally managed by placing his hands in open palms against the man's chest and pushing with all his strength. Atem fell off the couch, giving Yugi time to vault over it. When Atem stood up, he found the couch between them.

"Talk, I knew there was a catch to this whole talking thing!" Yugi shouted at Atem.

"What is it about my kissing skills that seems to have you so offended?" Atem asked bracing himself against the couch by leaning over the cushions and placing his hands against the backrest.

"You're so rough and aggressive!" Yugi said back.

"I can be gentle." Atem said back smirking.

"Right and birdies don't fly." Yugi said make a bird with his hands and flapping its wings a couple of times.

"Come on this side of the couch and I'll gladly show you how gentle I can be." Atem said motioning with his finger.

"Yeah, do I really look that gullible to you?" Yugi retorted

"No, but it was worth a try." Atem said chuckling and starting to move around the couch.

Atem expected Yugi to copy his movements; instead he jumped over the couch and made a beeline for the door. Atem cut him off before he had taken five steps. Throwing him over his shoulder, he brought Yugi back to the couch, where he dropped him on his back.

This time, making sure to pin Yugi's hands to his sides first, when Atem leaned down he was indeed gentle. He captured Yugi's bottom lip between his and let it go. He repeated his action, again, and again, and again, and again, and again, until it became apparent that Atem was trying to get Yugi to relax underneath him. Yugi wasn't buying it, but his squirming was dying down.

Atem seem to become bored with Yugi's bottom lip after awhile and moved to the top one. He repeated what he was doing to the bottom one three times on the top one before doing something different. Atem ran his tongue along the underside of his top lip, earning an involuntary moan from Yugi.

Atem smirked at the reaction and did it again, earning a louder moan from the youth. Atem had found a weak spot obviously, but he would get back to it later, right now he needed to get Yugi to kiss him back. This was what Atem wanted the most, to get Yugi to kiss him back, and if he had to be gentle to make it happen, then he would continue to be gentle.

Moving back to his bottom lip, Atem began to nip at it. The affect was instant as Yugi started to kiss him back, and not in a shy manner like he had expected. No Yugi pushed against Atem as if begging for more of that attention he was receiving. Atem was more than happy to oblige.

Letting go of Yugi's wrists, he pressed his hands into his back drawing him closer. Yugi obliged to the contact as he wrapped his hands into Atem's hair and pulled his mouth closer to his own. Now who's being aggressive, Atem thought.

Atem worked at getting Yugi's mouth to open up to him, a feat that was much harder than he thought it would be. Yugi seemed to be more in control of his actions than Atem originally thought. Despite his attempts Yugi kept clamping his teeth at the tip of Atem's tongue every time he tried to enter the moist cavern. Atem was starting to get frustrated as Yugi began to push him away again.

Atem didn't want to stop kissing Yugi, so why was the youth pushing him away? He fought to stay connected to Yugi's lips as the pushes became more insistent. Finally Atem pulled away, as Yugi started to squirm underneath him again.

"What? What could I possibly be doing wrong now?" Atem asked in an aggravated voice.

"Too, too much. It's too much." Yugi said in a breathless voice.

"What is?" Atem asked.

"You, you are too much." Yugi said shaking his head.

"I am too much. What's that supposed to mean?" Atem asked albeit baffled.

"Figure it out for yourself." Yugi responded back annoyed.

"Figure it out, tch." Atem growled under his breath before attempting to lean back down to kiss Yugi.

"No! No." Yugi said bracing his hands against Atem's shoulders to stop him. Atem sighed out, before moving off of Yugi and offering him a hand.

"Very well, let's get you home." Atem said hand still held out as he looked down at Yugi's disheveled appearance.

Yugi looked up at Atem, before looking at his out held hand. Yugi tentatively placed his hand in Atem's and allowed the elder to pull him up. Atem jerked Yugi into his side and started to lead the boy out. It was better for Yugi if everyone at the club thought he was with him, than if they thought he was here alone. Atem didn't even want to think about what some of the thugs on his streets would do to such a pretty face as the one that Yugi was sporting. The outcome could be very brutal.

[Time skip]

"He said he was on his way, so stop pacing already Penny!" Kaiba remarked annoyed at watching the girl walk back and forth in such a small amount of space.

"That was over an hour ago, Kaiba! Can't you keep him on a shorter leash or something?" Penny snapped back halting her pacing to glare at the other male.

"Calm yourself Penny, I'm here." Atem said as he stepped out of the shadows with Yugi in tow.

Yugi had a disheveled appearance, and swollen lips. He also looked as if he would rather be anywhere than sandwiched between Atem's arm and side at the moment. Yugi immediately tried to make a break for it the moment he saw Penny, but Atem caught him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him back.

"Uh, not so fast." Atem said wrapping his arms around Yugi and leaning down by his ear.

"Please, I just want to go home." Yugi whimpered.

"Oh, you will, I just want to say that you should come over more often Yugi. I enjoyed the time we spent together." Atem whispered in his ear low enough for only Yugi to hear and no one else.

"NO!" Yugi yelled pushing Atem away and running towards his territory. He ran right past Penny, Mira, Serenity, Rebecca, Anzu, and Vivian, and kept running until no one could hear his soft pitter patter of feet against the concrete.

"You must have quite the way with words Pharaoh, if you can get that kind of reaction out of someone." Mai said breaking the silence.

"Shut up, Queen Bee." Atem retorted back.

"Enough! This meeting is called to order now that everyone is back in their own territories." Kaiba said silencing the argument before it began.

"So what are we here for?" Satake asked.

**Blindshipping is fun! Next time we finally get to hear all the nicknames our lovely gang leaders have for one another. You've already heard two. Oh! And Penny's hair color is a charcoal black with a purple sheen to it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed guest and user alike. Also thanks to everyone who are/have following/favorited this story. And one more thing...Regulator, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Please review! Midnight ;p**


	14. A truce

**I sure hope this washes away any more doubt. Our stories are nothing alike, I can't see the other Author being this cruel the main character. I do not own Yugioh, enjoy!**

Chapter 13

Yugi ran away from the groups as he made his way back into the safety of Mira's territory. When Yugi was near his home he slowed down to a walk, and reached behind him into the waistband of his dark blue school pants for whatever object Atem had stuffed there. Grasping the object Yugi brought it around to his front to see that it was a black Revolver. Why would Atem give him a gun, he wasn't ever going to use it. He didn't even know how. Well no, he knew the general use of how to use one, but when was he ever _going_ to?

Sighing Yugi stuffed the gun back where Atem had put it and continued on home. He'd put the gun in the Shop, under the counter. You never knew when you were going to get unwanted trouble, and who knew maybe it would come in handy for something.

[Back to the meeting]

"So what are we here for?" Satake asked.

"First things first, weapons in the middle. That means gloves and shoes girls." Akeifa said looking pointedly at Mira's crew.

All girls sighed and as the other were taking out guns, they took off their steel studded gloves and spike embedded shoes. Everyone started to toss their weapons in the middle, and the Peacekeepers patted them down to make sure that they weren't hiding any. Penny found brass knuckles, and daggers hidden on her girls. Akeifa found several whips along with a couple of throwing knives and his boys and girls. Pegasus just found hidden guns on his boys and girl. Kaiba found hidden knives, guns, and even a numchuck on his boys.

"Surely you must know what a weapon is by now." Kaiba complained as he tossed the numchuck into the pile and glaring pointedly at Marik.

"It's not a weapon if it's used for self defense." Marik said back.

"Well, I don't think you need to worry about self defense here." Was Kaiba's sharp reply.

"Well, I think th-OW!" Marik started to say back, but whatever he thought was caught off by Atem shoving his elbow into his gut.

"That's enough." Atem growled at him.

"What happened to you Penny?" Mai asked.

Everyone turned to look at her and noticed for the first time that he had a bandage on her left leg and right arm. That was unusual as Penny didn't usually take injury when around Mira. Nobody was stupid enough to try to take any type of aim at her. Mira's wrath could be just as bad as Penny's sometimes, and most knew better than to get on the wrong side of it. Hurting Penny was a good way to get on Mira's bad side, and all anyone could assume was that whoever did that to Penny was no longer among them.

"That's a good question, _Queen_ _Bee_. What indeed did happen?" Mira said before repeating her question right back at her.

"You got a problem _King_?" Mai shot right back.

"Some of my Pawns had _guns_. My Pawns aren't _allowed_ guns, yet they had them, and they weren't of my own Crew's making. Someone here is supplying my Pawns with guns, because those four, plus the one we sent back to you Queen Bee, that we took care of recently weren't the only ones with them." Mira said looking at each and every one of the leaders as she made this speech. She was looking for weakness or non-surprise at her words. She found none.

"Take a glance through our Servants when we get out of this meeting." Atem whispered to Marik.

"I will." Marik whispered back.

"Oh, and did you and Bakura take Ryou and Malik home?" Atem whispered.

"Would this meeting be happening if we didn't?" Marik retorted.

"Good point." Atem replied back.

"Check over our Workers when we return Valon and Mana." Mai whispered to her two most trusted crew members.

"Consider it done." Valon responded while Mana nodded.

"Go through the Voters, Ishizu, as it's your job to keep trouble under wraps." Satake ordered of the woman standing directly to his right and two inches behind him.

"Whatever you say, President." Ishizu said back.

"If none of you supplied them it must be a lesser Crew or someone out of town. Though why anyone would dare mess with any one of us is beyond me." Mira said being unsuccessful in finding in any of the other leaders what she had been looking for.

"Any other concerns Mira, before we move onto the next group?" Kaiba asked.

"Actually, yes. Here Kaiba, catch!" Mira said thoughtfully as she dug into one of her pockets on her dark blue and orange skirt. She dug out a wad of cash and threw it at Kaiba.

"What's this?" Kaiba asked looking down at it.

"The money you gave me to keep Yugi away from Atem. Penny says I can't accept bribes from other Crews unless it benefits me in some way. Yours doesn't, sorry." Mira explained shrugging her shoulders and not seeming sorry at all.

"Anything else?" Kaiba grit out as he stuffed the money away into one of his black pants pockets.

"Just one. Atem, stay off my turf." Mira said smiling before turning to Atem with a scowl on her face.

"I've already received that message, thanks." Atem said right back.

"Just making sure it's heard loud and clear." Mira said facing the others again.

"It has been." Atem growled out.

"Great, so if I see you on it that means I can give you a royal beating." Mira said smiling at him in a sadistic way.

"I look forward to it." Atem replied balk sarcastically.

"Heh." Mira sneered before rolling her eyes and turning away from him again.

"Satake, any complaints from you?' Kaiba asked going to the next Crew.

"Who killed Keith?" Satake asked.

"Me!" Bakura claimed immediately.

"Shut up Bakura!" Atem ordered immediately.

"Why?" Satake asked.

"He was harassing one of our own. You honestly expected us to let that shit happen? I don't think so." Bakura answered again despite Atem telling him to shut up.

"Bakura now is neither the time nor place for this!" Atem ordered again his voice becoming louder.

"How?" Satake asked.

"You really want to hear what happened to your piece of shit leader?" Bakura asked right back.

"Otogi shut him up!" Atem growled out over his shoulder.

"Let's go Bakura." Otogi said quietly placing a hand on the older male's shoulder trying to get him out of there.

"Hell, no Otogi, I ain't done yet!" Bakura retorted shaking off the hand.

"And what would Ryou do if he heard you were trying to look for a fight at a peace meeting?" Otogi tried again.

"Right, let's go." Bakura said visibly deflating when he imagined his boyfriend's reaction.

The two walked away, and into the darkness of the night. Satake knew twenty questions was over, because facing him with the information he wanted was the Pharaoh, and his Advisor. Neither one of them were going to talk, especially not about something that could cause a war.

"Any other questions President?" Atem asked of the new leader.

"No I'm good." Satake responded backing off from the interrogation.

"Any other concerns Satake-boy?" Pegasus asked stiffly.

"No." Satake glanced to Pegasus before shaking his head and answering quietly.

"What about you Mai?" Akeifa asked still tense from what could have turned into a brawl if Atem hadn't got Bakura out of here.

"No, the only concerns I have are that if I'll be able to clean up my foulest streets before summer vacation starts for the students that live in my territory." Mai responded back a little haughtily.

Her statement had the other leaders and their members howling with laughter. Everyone knew about the notorious streets in Mai's territory, and no one ever tried to clean them up. It was an impossible task, something only a true fool would try. However, as they noticed from Mai's stance that she seemed to be patiently for them to stop laughing, the laughter died out almost instantly.

"Come on Queen Bee, you're not serious?" Satake asked.

"Yes, I've already managed to clean up the worst of the streets and am working on the second bunch of the dirtiest of my streets." Mai said back calmly.

"Damn." Mira said looking at the woman with apprehension.

"Is that it Mai?" Kaiba asked.

"Yes." Mai said back.

"Atem?" Penny asked.

"Besides wanting a piece of Yugi Mutou's adorable ass? Nope I'm good." Atem responded back grinning at Mira.

"Not likely that that's ever gonna happen Pharaoh." Mira sneered at him.

"I don't know about that Mira. Who knows you could just lose your temper and slap him again, and that could be what sends him running back into my territory." Atem said back with a triumphal look in his eyes.

"Bastard!" Mira spat at him.

"What is it with people calling me a bastard lately?" Atem questioned rhetorically out loud.

"Maybe you should listen; it might mean something, _very_ _important_." Mira growled out at him.

"Why you little-." Atem began to say.

"ENOUGH!" Akeifa roared.

"Your both acting like a bunch of squabbling children, grow up!" Penny shouted at the two as they turned away from each other.

"Any _real_ concerns Atem?" Kaiba ground out.

"No, I suppose not." Atem replied back like he was bored.

"Great, collect your belongings we're adjourned." Pegasus said.

Everyone moved to the massive pile in the middle of the grounds, and collected all of their weapons. For Mira's crew that meant putting their gloves and shoes on mostly. For everyone else it was deciding whose gun was whose. Marik couldn't help that Atem only picked up on of his guns, and wondered where the other went. He hadn't seen it since the meeting had started and Kaiba hadn't taken it from him. So where had he put it?

[Mira]

Mira looked over all of her weaponry, as well as the 22 guns she had pulled off of her Pawns. None of them had talked about how they had gotten theses guns, only that they were supposed to use them for protection. Protection against what? There was no danger on the streets and any threat of it caused a complete and total lockdown of her territory. The answers the frightened Pawns had given her were driving her in circles.

Mira sighed as she sat down and studied the same gun that had shot Penny, when they had first discovered them to have guns. It was just a simple Black Hand gun and the cheaply made kind too. Still, it had pierced Penny twice in crossfire, she hated shooting off guns, and they were so messy to clean up after afterwards. That's why she liked dealing punishment through hand to hand fighting, it was more controlled, and you could contain where the blood landed. With a gun the spray of blood went everywhere, and it was a pain trying to wash it off the walls.

"Still trying to figure it out Mira?" a quiet voice asked suddenly startling her.

"Oh, Serenity it's just you, yeah." Mira said tuning to the voice and seeing the Queen of her Crew.

They weren't together it was just that the Queen was the next piece on a chess board mentioned. Yeah, the Queen had more power on a chess board, Mira got that, but in her Crew the King, herself, ruled. You would think then that that made Rebecca, Vivian and Anzu Bishops, well they didn't really use that piece, nor did they use the Rook come to think of it. No, one of Mira's ancestors thought it would be more fun to skip _over_ the Bishop and go straight for the Knights, so those three girls were the Knights. Underneath them you had Pawns, and lots of them. This was the pyramid of her Crew.

"It's no use fretting over it. We already have Rebecca looking into it, we don't need our precious King stressing over it too." Serenity said sitting down across from Mira on the pool table that was in the room.

"I just don't get it, 22, there were 22 of them right underneath our own noses. How did we not notice our _own_ Pawns caring weapons around? Everyone knows that we don't deal with guns here; we deal with hand to hand fighting. We're famous for it! So why would they even take them, and then not tell us where and who they got them from?" Mira ranted to Serenity.

"Maybe they don't know who it was." Serenity offered calmly.

"Rule number one, you always get a name. Everyone knows that, there are no exceptions to that rule." Mira said back with a sigh of frustration.

"Get some rest." Serenity said back in a firm voice.

"What?" Mira asked in a 'did you just give me an order' voice.

"Mira, you've been going for four days straight. You need to get some sleep, or you're going to crash at the worst possible time, most likely on top of the pyramid at cheerleading practice or something." Serenity explained smiling as she attempted to make a joke.

"I wish I could Serenity, but I think I might have to call a truce with Atem." Mira said in a sad voice.

"What? But we don't-You can't." Serenity started to say confused before she froze. Mira just sighed and looked away from her.

"Mira, you can't! I mean at the meeting you defended him!" Serenity said with more force and desperation behind her voice.

"What choice do I have? And it's called acting." Mira countered.

"What about trust? Loyalty?" Serenity scrambled for an excuse.

"I already lost his trust today, and I know for certain that I will lose his loyalty with what I'm about to do." Mira said back forlornly.

"What will Penny say?" Serenity asked as a last ditch effort.

"We've already discussed it Serenity. She told me to do what I think I need to to protect my territory, but I better be willing to face any consequences that come with my actions." Mira said looking at the ground.

"She wouldn't!" Serenity shouted at Mira fearfully surging to her feet.

"But I did child." Penny said from the doorway.

"Penny, you can't! You guys can't do this to him! You just can't." Serenity said crumpling to the ground in a kneeling position, her face hidden by her long red locks.

"It's already been decided. He's the only bargaining chip we have. I'm sorry Serenity I hope someday you can forgive me for what I'm about to do. Yugi too, I hope he can forgive me too." Mira said getting up and making her way past Penny and out the front door.

[Yugi]

Yugi had been just about to go to bed when there was knock upon his door. Thinking it to be Atem, Yugi grabbed the gun from underneath the Shop's counter and approached the front door wearily. Grasping the door handle with one hand and taking off the safety lock of the gun with the other, Yugi threw open the door and pointed the gun at the person on the other side of it in the face.

"Mira?" Yugi asked in surprise as he lowered it and switched the safety back on.

"Where'd you get the gun?" Mira asked albeit rudely.

"Huh? Oh, Atem shoved it into the back of my pants when he grabbed me." Yugi said looking at it and then turning away and allowing Mira to come inside.

Yugi put the gun back under the counter and sat on the stool behind it. Mira made a show of closing the door and slowly walking in. She seemed a bit different to Yugi than she did this afternoon. She seemed, heaven help them, _reserved_.

"Something wrong Mira?" Yugi asked concerned.

"Huh? Oh, no nothing. I just wanted to discuss your situation with you." Mira looked to him as if she didn't hear him before smiling in a forced carefree way.

"My situation?" Yugi asked confused.

"With Atem." Mira clarified.

"What about it?" Yugi asked even more confused now than he was before.

"Well, I think we can use his fascination with you to our advantage." Mira explained carefully.

"Whose advantage?" Yugi asked wearily.

"Well, um, my Crew's?" Mira asked more than stated.

"In what way?" Yugi asked looking at Mira with narrowed eyes.

"As a bargaining truce chip." Mira said slowly letting the words sink in. When they did, Yugi exploded.

"WHAT!? I'm not a piece of property Mira! I'm a frigging human being, not some toy to pass around! What are you thinking?!" Yugi screamed at the woman in front of him.

"That I need to fix the rift that your presence caused between Atem and I. Did you not think it strange that he didn't seem to know where his territory ended and mine began? It's because we never worried about things like that before. Yes, if one of my girls saw him in our territory they would chase him out. But Yugi, before he noticed you we never really had any conflicts. You've created many over the past four days alone. I have enough stress watching my borders on the side that Satake borders, because fresh new leader blood always go for new territory grabs. It's in their nature to show the more experienced leaders that they can out smart them. I would know I went through it myself. Yugi, I need to fix this rift that Atem and I have, you're the only way I can." Mira explained all this in an exasperated and tired tone of voice.

"Because I'm the only thing he wants right?" Yugi asked quietly his bangs hiding his eyes from sight.

"Unfortunately yes you are." Mira said back in a sorry voice.

"If I agreed, what would be the pros and cons of this?" Yugi asked turning away from Mira.

"Well, the cons would be that you have to move in there with him. Also, you have to inform him of every time you plan to step out of his territory and into another one. The pros would be that you can't be touched by any other person in his territory. You'd have everyone of his Crew protecting you, to make sure no harm comes to you. Yugi if you got hurt while on his turf, I could see that as a personal attack on me, and declare a war with him. So you're not allowed to get hurt. I don't know of anymore pros, he'd have to tell you personally if there are anymore." Mira explained slowly as she thought of each one that she could remember from the list that Penny had given her.

"Can I negotiate the terms of my own bribe?" Yugi asked a plan forming in his head.

"I guess you really are a bribe, aren't you. Um, probably, yeah I think so." Mira said carefully.

"Okay, if Atem agrees to my personal terms I don't see how this couldn't work." Yugi said turning back to face Mira with his own forced grin.

"Great! So, let's get going!" Mira said with fake enthusiasm.

"Wait, you mean do this now?" Yugi asked in disbelief.

"The sooner the better." Mira said back opening the door for Yugi to follow her out.

"Hah! I'm getting dressed first. Wanting me to go out in my pajamas, ridiculous." Yugi retorted before mumbling as he made his way up the steps.

Mira couldn't help but laugh a little at that. Yugi wouldn't change; she had no doubt about that. Probably putting him in this situation would make him a stronger person inside and out, not that he wasn't already, but still.

Yugi came down the stairs a few minutes later dressed in one of his leather outfits. Black tight form fitting pants that hugged him in all the right spots. A sleeveless dark purple leather shirt that hugged his torso. A choker around his neck, two belts around his waist and an arm band on each bicep. Yugi was obviously trying to either impress Atem, or get him to bend to his will for something. Yugi would probably get a little bit of both.

"Ready?" Yugi asked stopping before Mira.

"Yep!" Mira said giving him one more look over before heading out the door.

[Atem]

"So where is your black Revolver Atem?" Marik asked as soon as they were back in the warehouse.

"With Yugi, I slipped it onto his person when I grabbed him." Atem said back casually.

"Why?" Marik asked confused.

"I don't want him to be defenseless when he comes wondering through my territory again. I was thinking we should take a page out of Mai's book and trying cleaning some of our nastier streets." Atem said back casually.

"He's never gonna fire it Atem. He doesn't have that much nerve." Marik said to Atem's retreating back.

"He'll have it, that's what matters. BAKURA!" Atem responded back quietly before shouting for Bakura.

"Yes?" Bakura asked coming out of his room.

"What the hell were you thinking back at the meeting?" Atem asked angrily.

"I don't think I was actually." Bakura said rubbing the back of his head.

"No kidding! You could have caused a fight, you do realize that don't you?" Atem asked more of in a frustrated tone this time than an angry one.

"It wouldn't matter we have an alliance with Mira, so she would back us up." Bakura said confidently.

"Not recently we don't." Atem said in a growling voice.

"Knock-knock." A voice sounded from their doorway.

All three men turned to find Mira leaning against the frame. She almost looked as if she belonged there, if the boys didn't know that she was an unwanted guest. Still, the fact that she as here must mean that it was serious.

"Can we help you?" Marik asked almost like he couldn't believe she was actually here.

"I'm here to negotiate a truce, between our two Crews." Mira said striding into the warehouse like she owned it.

"Ah, so you're here to give me the Kame game Shop and all its contents." Atem said grinning and leaning up against a wall.

"Ah, no, I'm here to give you something better." Mira said smiling brightly.

"Sorry, but the shop and all its contents is all I will except." Atem said smiling right back. He failed to notice Yugi come into the warehouse.

"The Shop is out of the question." Mira said her grin sliding off her face and replaced with a slight scowl.

"Sorry, but that is the only thing I'll accept." Atem said back thinking he had won.

"Baka, she's giving you me! What more could you want?" Yugi demanded throwing his arms out to his sides while taking one step forward. There was anger in his voice and every curve and crease of his face.

"Yugi!" Mira shouted.

"What did you say?" Atem asked turning to him in confusion and shock.

**I'm very cruel, but this story was never going to be kind anyway. Thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Also thanks to everyone who have/are favorited/following this story. Oh, and Innocence caught in the middle won the poll. Please refrain from reading it, I need to redo the first chapter. Please review. Midnight ;p**


	15. With me of course

**For all my writers block this sure didn't take long to write. However, it is kind of short, but the ending is ****_totally_**** worth it. Also, there is information about SOPA at the bottom. I'm assuming most of you have heard of it already, if not, well I just claimed your curiosity. I do not own Yugioh, enjoy!**

Chapter 14

_ "__What did you say?" Atem asked turning to him in confusion and shock._

"I said she's giving you me. What more could you _want_?" Yugi replied through gritted teeth.

Atem's eyes looked over to Mira. She was looking down and away from him, as if embarrassed. She should have been too; she had defended Yugi at the meeting, and now she was just giving him away? No, there had to be a catch.

"What's the catch?" Atem asked.

"Ask Yugi, he's the one with the catch." Mira replied jerking her thumb at him.

"You have conditions?" Atem asked turning to face him and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes I do actually. Would you like to hear them?" Yugi said facing him head on. He would not allow himself to be intimidated by Atem.

"Sometime tonight would be nice." Atem replied.

"Well they are thus; release Malik from his yearlong promise so Marik and he can date properly. You will leave the Kame Game Shop out of this; it is a separate part from me. So in other words it's either the Kame Game Shop or me. Whilst I'm here, you may have dinner, because I don't think you'll be able to keep your greedy hands off me anyway, but dessert is off limits. You will allow me to go to school, and because it's in _your_ territory I don't think it will be that hard to accommodate this condition. Lastly, you will allow me out of your territory this Saturday for personal reasons that I don't feel the need to discuss with you." Yugi said all of this as he was tapping off his fingers going through his own personal list. Atem was silent for a few moments, before he addressed each and every one of the things Yugi mentioned.

"I can't give you the first one, because _any_ deal made is a _done_ deal. The second one I have no problem with, I just wanted you anyway. So by dinner I assume you mean we can make out all I want, but there will be no sex involved? We'll see if you behave enough to go to school, Yugi. Yugi, once you're a part of this gang through truce means, _everything_ you do is my business." Atem responded back.

"Mira is that true? Any deal made is a done deal?" Yugi asked Mira turning to her.

"Yes, Yugi, it's true." She replied.

"Fine, and yes Atem that's exactly what dinner only and no desserts means. I always behave, and why do you think we're discussing it _before_ I become the little puppet between your two crews?" Yugi retorted.

"Crew?" Atem asked.

"Yeah, the Demon's Crew and the Police Block's Crew, I want to even out these edges before they become a problem, before I become your puppet." Yugi explained clearly not getting the question.

"Yugi, Yugi, Yugi, I run a gang, not a _crew_." Atem said like he was scolding a child.

"Crew sounds more docile." Yugi replied simply.

"I don't care if it does, I run a gang not a crew." Atem complained.

"Like it matters." Yugi said rolling his eyes.

"It does matter!" Atem shouted.

"If you say so." Yugi said with a bit of attitude in his voice.

"I do sa-." Atem started to say before stopping and releasing the rest of the words in a heavy breath.

"Finally realized you were squabbling over something unimportant?" Marik asked.

"Shut up." Atem said.

"So do we have a deal?" Yugi asked.

"What were the terms again?" Atem asked.

"You acquire me, and not the Kame Game Shop, dinner without desserts, allow me to attend school, and freedom outside your territory this Saturday of which the details you do not need to be concerned about." Yugi said listing it off on his fingers again.

"It's that last one I have a problem with." Atem said moving to close the distance between him and Yugi.

"Then that'll be my term." Mira cut in, her voice commanding authority.

"What?" Atem asked turning to her, stopping when he was only a foot away from Yugi.

"Agree to his terms and let it go." Mira said her own moss green eyes staring directly into his crimson ones.

"I'm going to have to know eventually King." Atem said glaring at her.

"Oh, but you said it yourself Pharaoh, any deal is a _done_ deal." Mira said throwing his own words back in his face.

"I did, didn't I?" Atem asked warily.

"Atem, this is a good deal, don't pass it up." Bakura spoke up from behind him.

Atem turned to look behind him. Bakura was standing there along with Marik and Otogi. They all nodded for him to seal it. They were right; this deal wasn't going to last all night, and to pass it up for something so miniscule would be foolish. Especially with the amethyst eyed beauty on the line, the one he had been chasing since last Wednesday night. Thus, he stuck out his hand for Yugi to shake. Yugi grasped it in an iron grip and shook it. The deal was done; Yugi was his as soon as he shook hands with Mira, and signed whatever contract she had written up.

Just as Atem was about to sign the paper, after reading it of course, a thought occurred to him. What was Penny's say in all this? Did she even know? If not, he would be in trouble just for signing; he had to make sure before signing the contract and making it official.

"What's wrong?" Mira asked noticing his hesitation.

"What about Penny? Won't she be angry when she hears about this?" Atem asked standing up straight to look at the other woman.

"No, because I have it here somewhere, where is it, ah here it is!" Mira said searching her coat pockets for something. Finding the item she pulled it out and handed it to Atem, it was a folded piece of paper. Atem opened it and read what was written on it in Penny's unique calligraphy.

_I give you my blessing Atem and Mira. I just hope Yugi is cooperative in this whole ordeal, or my consent would have been for naught. ~Penny_

"Well, that solves that problem." Atem said crumpling up the paper and stuffing it into his jeans pocket.

Atem leaned back over and signed the contract. Yugi was his now, to protect and have as a truce piece. No harm could come to the boy; Atem didn't even want to think about the consequences if that happened. He would be hit from two sides if it did, one by Yugi's friends, which included his cousin Seto Kaiba, and the other by Mira's entire gang. Just thinking about it made him shudder.

"Is that it then, it's done?" Yugi asked.

"Yes, it's done good luck Yugi." Mira said going over and hugging him.

"Thanks, but I need to grab some things first if I'm going to be living here. To be quite truthful, I didn't expect him to give in to my terms." Yugi said quietly in Mira's ear. To Atem he looked sheepish about something.

"Well, come on, let's get them." Mira said starting to lead him to the door before Atem's voice cut in sharp and clear.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Atem asked.

"To get clothes, is that alright?" Yugi asked sarcastically.

"Fine, let's get these clothes." Atem said moving forward and grabbing Yugi by his bicep from Mira.

"Uh, Atem?" Mira asked in a 'you might want to listen' voice.

"Yes?" He asked still holding onto Yugi.

"If Anzu or Vivian see you outside Yugi's house, they have permission to shoot on sight. They don't know about this yet." Mira said waving the rolled up contract a little in her hand.

"Right, I expect you back here in no less than a half hour." Atem said releasing Yugi. Yugi left with Mira after that.

It was precisely a half hour after Yugi had already left that he came back. In his right hand he had a small suitcase and in his left a knapsack. Over his shoulders was his backpack. He stepped in cautiously to his new home, like he was watching out for land mines beneath his feet. Yugi looked around at the pool table, chairs, couches, and other furniture mismatched around the area. Finally his eyes fell on Atem, and he managed a half hearted smile in his direction.

"So where am I sleeping?" Yugi asked innocently.

To that, Atem managed a smile that looked more like a wolfish grin to Yugi. Yugi gulped not sure if he wanted to know the answer anymore, but he had school tomorrow, so he had to sleep somewhere. Yugi watched apprehensively, as Atem stalked towards him, until he stood in front of him. Leaning down Atem whispered Yugi's worst fears into his left ear, his breath tickling against the shell of his ear.

"With me of course."

**I just wanted to say a few things first, the line below is where the SOPA info is. I would like to thank all those who are/have following/favorited this story. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review. And do pay attention to what's beneath the line as it AFFECTS MILLIONS ON THIS SITE.**

* * *

**MY DEAR DARLINGS THIS IS A WARNING!**

I found this out from an author of a story!

In is an important notice that will affect everyone on this sight and many others.

I got a message from a fellow writer shadowwriter329 and saw more note and messages from even more, that SOPA is back. The bill that is threatening to take away our freedoms on the internet is back. Not only back, but it is trying to be passed quietly so nobody notices. SOPA will guarantee that anybody who streams a video, whether it be on youtube, a walkthrough for a video game, or a kid singing a song that is 'copyrighted' they will be treated as a felon. That is one of the highest form of criminal offensives for something as simple as uploading a video game walkthrough on youtube, playing a song with lyrics of your favorite artist and even one we all go on, this one right here.

I am telling everyone this because it affects us all here as Wattpad/FanFiction will being attacked as well. A Wattpad/FanFiction writer can being carted off to a maximum state prison for writing a character from Naruto into their fanfic, or a character from Bleach, or a character from One Piece, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, the list is endless. You think I'm exaggerating? I assure you that if this passes it will not be long, not be long at all, because once this passes, then anything goes. Wattpad/FanFiction will be attacked for using canon characters in a fanon manner, authors will be arrested for writing a book whose main character has glasses just like in another series, artists will be arrested and confined for using sapphire blue in the iris of one of their characters like another author. This effect us all and we cannot let it happen.

I figure some of you do not believe me and I can understand. I could be making this up for all you know. But I provided links below to show you I am telling the truth. Simply remove the spaces below, see for yourself.

: / www . huffingtonpost 2013/08/07/unauthorized-streaming-felony_n_3720479 . html

: / www . washingtonpost blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/08/05/sopa-died-in-2012-b ut-obama-administration-wants-to-revive-part-of-it /

: / www . techdirt articles/20130805/12472124074/administration-cant- let-go-wants-to-bring-back-felony-streaming-provis ions-sopa . shtml

: / www . youtube watch?v=1fTt4K4Cae4

We are not as powerless as we might think. We stopped SOPA before and we must do it again. Our stories, our ideas, our passion will be threaten. Everything from this to fan art to youtube is in danger of being gone forever.

I am asking you to spread the word and fight this assault on our freedoms. Because this isn't just going to affect Americans, it will affect everybody across the globe. Tell you friend, have they spread the word so we may stand up to fight this. It is our right as freedom of speech. We are not making money doing what we love, we do it because we enjoy it and want to spread our words, our ideas, our art to everyone who wishes to see it. but we can stop it but only if we stand together. Please my friends, my fellow reader and writers, don't let what we love be nothing but dust in the winds of time.

-Please spread the word and help us be free on the internet like she said we stopped it before lets do it again come darlings lets push SOPA back fight for our freedom!

Rewrite this and post on your story chapters for everyone else to see so we can stop SOPA!


	16. Are you a pedophile?

**This is eleven pages long, which means I got carried away writing, and you get a longer chapter. Everybody wins! I do not own Yugioh, Who Let the Dogs Out by the Baha Men, or Atomic Dog by George Clinton, enjoy!** [_PHONE SPEAK_]

Chapter 15

"Or I could sleep on one of the couches." Yugi suggested backing away from him.

"What kind of host would I be if I let you sleep on the couch?" Atem said following Yugi as he backed up.

"The best kind of host ever!" Yugi said dodging under his outreaching arm and walking backwards the other way.

Atem threw back his head as he erupted with laughter. It died quickly though, as the song Who Let the Dogs Out by the Baha Men erupted through the room. Atem looked strangely at Yugi as he fished his phone out of his backpack. Flipping open the device, Yugi put it to his ear without even glancing at the caller ID.

"Hey Jou!" Yugi greeted. Atem couldn't help think that that was an odd ring tone for his friend.

_"__Hey, Yug', that's not my ring tone is it?"Jou greeted back._

"Yeah that's your ring tone, do you like it?" Yugi asked smiling.

_"__No I do not like it, you're referencing to all the times that Kaiba calls me a mutt with it." Jou complained._

"Am I? I had no idea." Yugi said his grin getting bigger.

_"__Yes, you did because I can hear the grin your voice." Jou growled out much like a dog._

"Okay well would you like the song Atomic Dog by George Clinton instead?" Yugi asked looking as if he was fighting not to laugh.

_"__No I would not." Jou replied with a scowl in his voice._

"Well, why not?" Yugi asked albeit too innocently.

_"__Because it has a dog reference too!" Jou complained._

"It does, are you sure?" Yugi asked some laughter leaking through.

_"__Yes I'm sure! Have you not heard the words in it? Like the whole do the dogcatcher bit, totally a dog reference. Or the ending about house-trained dogs, wild dogs, say it again, how can that not be a dog reference?" Jou said in an offended tone while reading off some of the lyrics to the song._

Yugi's whole face lit up as he laughed freely at Jou's words. Atem had never seen him look so beautiful, ever. He was going to make it his duty to make that laughing smile appear on his face more often, even if he had to make some sacrifices of character to do it.

_"__It's not funny Yug'!" Jou said into the phone though it came out as more of a whine._

"All right, all right, I'll change it. What are you calling me for anyway at three in the morning?" Yugi said his laughter subsiding as he turned away from Atem and paced over to an arm chair. Yugi sat in it and propped his legs up on the arm rest, his head resting on the edge of the back of the opposite side of chair.

_"__Well, you're not in your house and I was wondering where you were."_

"I'm not? Are you sure you've checked every room Jou?" Yugi asked his voice dripping with sarcasm.

_"__With that ring tone of yours, I would have found you right away." Jou replied._

"Oh, right I guess you would have huh?" Yugi replied nervously.

_"__Why are you nervous? Did Atem kidnap you and is holding you hostage somewhere?"Jou asked immediately jumping to conclusions._

"No Atem did not kidnap me." Yugi replied.

_"__Are you sure?" Jou asked suspicious now because Yugi was talking more quietly._

"Yes, I'm positive he did not." Yugi said again.

_"__How can you tell?" Jou asked still suspicious._

"Because I walked over here willingly." Yugi said moving his pointer and middle finger into a walk as he said these words. Next second had Yugi whipping the phone away from his ear as Jou's voice was amplified as if someone had suddenly put a microphone under his mouth so he could be better heard.

_"__-OU INSANE! YUGI, DO YOU EVEN HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT ATEM WOULD DO TO YOU IF HE FOUND YOU IN HIS TERRITORY. SCRATCH THAT, HE __COULD__ DO ANYTHING TO YOU __BECAUSE__ YOU'RE IN HIS TERRITORY!" Jou yelled into the phone._

"Yeah but-" Yugi started to say.

_"__NO, NO BUTS, YOU NEED TO COME HOME RIGHT NOW! BETTER YET, TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE AND I'LL COME AND GET YOU!" _Jou continued to yell into the phone.

"Jou, I'm not sure if that's even possible anymore." Yugi replied.

_"__Why not?" Jou asked worried._

"Because I made a deal of truce with him." Yugi said quietly.

_"__You what? Yugi you have to have something worthy of __live__ value to do something like that. You don't even have a __cat__ to trade, so what was used for this truce?" Jou asked laughing. Clearly he had yet to catch on._

"Uh, I was." Yugi said even more quietly that Atem barely caught it at all.

_"__No! Yugi you don't know what you're doing, back out now before it's too late!" Jou exclaimed after a few breathes of silence._

"I am 18 years old Jou, I think I know what I'm doing!" Yugi's own voice rose a few notches.

_"__No you don't! You don't know the sacrifices that come with a move like that Yugi! Just come home, come home buddy." Jou persisted._

"For Kami's sake! I'm not as naïve as you all seem to think! I'm well aware of the sacrifices I'm making here; I've been made aware by Mira Kiryu!" Yugi's voice no longer rose, but there was defiantly a severe tone to it.

_"__What does Kiryu know of Atem's terms of the agreement? I mean I know that there are standing rules to it, but still, Atem will try to weasel out of it, I know he will. It's something he would do. You need to get out of there Yug', before you no longer can." Jou was frantic with worry now._

"Look, I need to get to sleep and so do you." Yugi said trying to end the conversation.

_"__Why?" Jou asked confused by the sudden change of subject._

"Because we have school at 7:00 am this morning, and at this rate I'm not going to get any sleep before it starts." Yugi complained.

_"__No Yug', don't you dare hang up. We are discussing your bleak future here, so we need to finish talking now." Jou tried to be firm in his voice but he seemed to be lacking a little edge._

"No, we'll talk later today, goodbye Jou." Yugi said in a strained voice shutting his phone with a sharp snap. It immediately began ringing again with Who Let the Dogs Out, of which Yugi switched his phone off.

"What was that about?" Atem asked as soon as Yugi stuffed the phone into his pocket.

"Nothing." Yugi replied sparing him a glance.

"You know, I had you pegged for a very smart 12 year old, not a legal adult." Atem said walking over to him.

"Well, how old are you?" Yugi asked tilting his head back onto the arm rest to look at him.

"I'm 25 years of age." Atem replied.

"So if you thought I was 12, why were you so persistent in making out with me? Do you get off on being a cradle robber or something of the likes? You're not a pedophile are you?" Yugi asked enjoying the sudden color in Atem's neck and face at his questions. Atem fought down the blush as he towered over the boy sitting in the chair.

"No, I'm not a pedophile, and I do not get off from being a cradle robber. It's just you're so beautiful, how can I not resist a temptation when it's put in front of me?" Atem asked grinning wolfishly down at the boy.

"It was just a question, no need to get purvey about it." Yugi said rolling off the chair and going to lay down on one of the couches.

"What are you doing?" Atem asked frowning at him.

"Trying to get some shut eye, what does it look like I'm doing?" Yugi replied closing his eyes.

"We have a bed." Atem said crossing his arms.

"So go use it, but don't expect me to." Yugi replied rolling into the couch.

"Oh this is ridiculous. Yugi get up!" Atem muttered before giving the boy an order.

"No, I don't feel like it!" Yugi whined.

"Yugi either you get up or I will carry you to bed!" Atem ordered.

"Okay." Yugi replied simply.

"Wait, what?" Atem asked confused as to what part Yugi was saying okay to.

"You offered to carry me, so do it, because I'm too tired to walk." Yugi said turning to face the man. His hands were beneath his head, as he curled up into a fetal position on the couch.

"I'm not carrying you!" Atem exclaimed not used to being ordered around.

"Fine, but I'm not moving." Yugi replied back.

"Fine, stay there on the couch!" Atem shouted.

"I will." Yugi's replied shortly as he turned his back on the man again.

"Fine!" Atem said and started to walk away. He was half way across the living room, when he realized exactly what it was he just agreed to. He just agreed to let Yugi sleep on their _hardest_ couch.

"Wait, what, no!" Atem complained to himself before marching back over to the couch and scooping the kid up bridal style into his arms.

"Hey, what's going on? We agreed I could sleep there!" Yugi said pointing to the couch.

"No, you fought with me in a way that I _would_ agree you could sleep there. Then you probably were wondering how long it would take me to realize what I had just agreed to." Atem explained what he thought was Yugi's own logic to him.

"Atem, I'm too tired to outsmart you right now." Yugi said yawning.

"Yes, I can see you're tired, but you are never too tired to outsmart me." Atem said in what he thought was a logical explanation.

Atem looked down to see Yugi not even paying attention, due to the fact that he was out like a light. Atem chuckled a little, perhaps Yugi really had been too tired to outsmart him and he was just that easy to outsmart anyway. That thought had Atem freezing on the spot right in his own bedroom doorway. He was easy to outsmart.

Walking swiftly into his room, he deposited Yugi on the bed and tucked him in. Walking out of the room, he went down the hall to Marik's. Knocking on the door, he waited for Marik to open the door.

"What's up?" He asked.

"We need to talk about something that's just come to my attention." Atem said moving into the room and shutting the door.

[Yugi]

Yugi woke up three hours later to his alarm going off like a battle charge anthem. Yawning, Yugi turned off the alarm, and climbed out of the king sized bed he was sleeping in. Looking around, Yugi noticed a collage of pictures on the walls, but he didn't have time to inspect them, he needed to get ready for school. Yugi noticed his suitcase in the room, and walked over to it. Opening it he pulled out his uniform and quickly got changed.

Yugi walked out of the room and went in search for the bathroom. It wasn't that hard to find, it was just three doors down from Atem's room on the right. Brushing his hair and teeth, Yugi took a good look at the bathroom. It had a decent sized walk-in shower, a small sink, and a broken mirror above the sink. It could have been worse Yugi supposed as he stepped out of the bathroom, and walked down the hallway to the living room part of the warehouse, or at least what he had dubbed as the living room anyway. He didn't know if it was actually called that.

Spotting his backpack, Yugi grabbed it off the chair he had been sitting in the night before and walked out of the warehouse. Walking to school he crossed paths with both Ryou and Malik. They were both silent, but looked as if they wanted to say something.

"Okay spit it out you two, what's on your minds?" Yugi asked after a minute of silence.

"What could you be thinking? Atem of all people will squeeze you dry before he lets you go." Ryou was saying.

"What on earth do you have, an early death wish?" Malik was saying at the same time as Ryou.

Yugi couldn't help it as laughter spilled from his mouth. The simple fact that the both of them were scolding him at the same time assured Yugi that they were as close as ever. Besides as both of them had deep connections into Atem's crew through their own means, what did he really have to worry about?

"Come on guys if anything were to happen to me, I know you guys would make sure you were first in line for Atem's head on a platter. Plus, what makes you think he hasn't already thought of the negative part of this?" Yugi said grinning at the two when they had paused in their tirades at his sudden laughter.

"What negative side, he has you, the one thing he wants!" Ryou rebuked.

"Oh, like the fact that I don't know, all of my friends just happen to be in his crew, including Kaiba?" Yugi pointed out smiling in a way that almost seemed too sinful for his cherubic features.

"You aren't allowed to smile like that Yugi." Malik said.

"Why not? What's wrong with this smile?" Yugi said the smile becoming sinful.

"It looks too devious on your face." Malik complained. Yugi burst out with laughter at the comment.

"Besides, Kaiba isn't in Atem's crew." Ryou put in, pulling Yugi's laughter up short.

"Say what? But he was paying Mira to keep me safe." Yugi replied confused.

"That may be, but few know that Kaiba is not only Atem's tech when Bakura isn't available, but also his Peacekeeper." Malik said.

"Shut up, he is not!" Yugi exclaimed.

"Yes I am, and what the hell do you think you're doing Mutou?!" Kaiba yelled suddenly from beside him.

"Huh? Oh, we're at school already." Yugi jumped at the sudden unexpected voice taking in a good look of his surroundings to discover that they had already passed the school gates and were well into the school grounds.

"Well!?" Kaiba demanded.

"It's my life. I won't allow you or anyone to dictate it forever." Yugi replied looking at the taller male heatedly.

"Here I am trying to protect you from him, and what do you do? You skip willing right into his…prison!" Kaiba was very agitated that Yugi could tell.

"Yeah, and I've witnessed your means of protection already. You left me in the house alone with him, when I was injured." Yugi replied pointing out a flaw in his protection as large as the state of Maine.

"Technically he wasn't there when we left." Kaiba retorted.

"We? You didn't listen to Jou?" Yugi questioned eyebrows raised automatically assuming his friend in the mix.

"No, I didn't, and you're right that was a mistake." Kaiba said his voice calming down a notch, but not by much.

"So are you going to listen to him from now on?" Yugi asked crossing his arms over his chest.

"I listened to him when he came charging into my room early this morning ranting and raving about you being as truce piece between Mira and Atem didn't I?" Kaiba said coldly his eyes closing in frustration.

"Tch, that's a first." Yugi said uncrossing him arms and making to walk away.

"You got them from Atem!" Kaiba accused.

"What, oh you mean this? Tch. It actually sounds kind of cool, tch, tch, tch, tch, t-." Yugi said grinning before Kaiba cut him off.

"Stop that! Leave that noise to Atem, he does it better anyway." Kaiba said moving past a gaping Yugi at his words.

"Hey!" Yugi exclaimed.

"What it's true." Kaiba said shrugging.

"Ya know Kaiba, if only your head was a little lower, than I could whack it." Yugi pouted.

"Then I guess its good thing that I was born tall and you short." Kaiba said mimicking Yugi coming up to his knees with his hand.

"Kaiba!" Yugi yelled running after the man.

Everyone laughed as they watched the two run into the building. They couldn't help but think that things would always be the same with Yugi, and nothing would ever bring that ray of sunlight smile off his face. Then again, if they knew what the upcoming weeks would lead up to perhaps they would have been weary. Though, all was blissfully ignorant of the buried past and only looking to the future as they too walked into the building.

[After school]

"Hey, Yug' you want to go to the arcade today, so we can talk better?" Jou asked as they were passing the school gates.

"Sure, but I have to tell Atem first. Apparently I have to inform him every time I take a step out of his territory." Yugi said making to turn down a familiar alleyway.

"No problem, I'll just give him a call and let him know." Jou said grabbing Yugi's jacket and swinging him in the direction of the arcade.

"You can do that? I mean, can I have his number too please?" Yugi asked him.

"Sure, here it's 555-6472. Hey, Atem I'm taking Yug' to the arcade so don't wait up for us all right?" Jou said as he pressed speed dial and told Atem what he was up to with Yugi.

"What?! No he has-." Atem's voice started to say on the other line before Jou hung up and turned off his phone. Whatever it was that Yugi had to do would remain unknown.

"You might want to shut off your phone or he'll try to track it and ruin all the fun." Jou commented as he pocketed his phone.

"Oh, it's off. It's been off since around three this morning." Yugi replied giving Jou a shrewd look.

"Heh, right." Jou said sheepishly as they walked into the arcade.

"So what do you want to discuss?" Yugi asked as he got some quarters for the games.

"What were you thinking when you signed your independence away to Atem. That's basically what you did too, you know that right?" Jou asked as they stood in front of a fighting game.

"I didn't sign it all away; I mean I gave him conditions for this whole thing." Yugi said as he clobbered Jou's fighting dragon champion with his black luster soldier.

"Really, like what?" Jou asked curios as Yugi defeated his dragon champion.

"Well, I told him that he acquires me, but not the Kame Game Shop, dinner without desserts, allows me to attend school, and permission outside of his territory this Saturday without his permission being needed nor him needing to know of the details concerning this...excuse. How's that for negotiations?" Yugi replied grinning.

"Pretty good, but I guess that's why you have the highest IQ buddy." Jou replied impressed.

"Besides he doesn't know that there was a double meaning to the whole _attending_ _school_ bit." Yugi said a mischievous look on his face.

"Yugi, Atem is fire and when you double cross him you get burned badly." Jou warned seeing the look.

"But I won't be doing anything wrong, just _attending_ _school_." Yugi replied the mischievous look still on his face.

"Wait, you mean, _college_." Jou said as if a light bulb suddenly appeared over his head.

"Yes, and like Atem said, any deal is a _done_ deal." Yugi said a look of triumphal victory on his face now that Jou had caught on to his master plan.

"Oh that is so sly; you are definitely the smarter species Yugi." Jou said holding his hand out for a high five.

Yugi was quick to give it to him, but he still had to tell the others, and make sure Atem didn't find out until the last possible minute. Preferably when he was already packed up and in Kaiba's car or limo would be good. That way he could wave out the back window, and then never look back. That's right, with Yugi's Grandpa gone; Yugi was planning on leaving the Kame Game Shop to either Mira or Kaiba, and never coming back to Domino again. It held too many sad memories for him, which not even the happy memories he had made could overlap and hide. Yugi was planning on leaving, and there really was nothing to hold him here anyway. What family did he have left bedsides friends? Friends, they could never replace the real thing, so he was going to go out in the world and make his own family, and no one, not even Atem was going to take his new dream away from him. It was too precious to lose.

Yugi and Jou played game after game after that, as Jou seemed to be satisfied with Yugi's decision to still go to college, and pulling a fast one on Atem like that. Yugi doubted that Mira even saw it, and wondered how she would react when she did find out. He couldn't help but feel like he was betraying her somehow, but he was sure he would get over it. Get over it, or give up, and being the King of Games meant he never gave up. By the time they had finally run out of quarters it was going on 9:42 pm. Jou saw him back to the warehouse, where they were greeted with a scowling Atem.

Atem pointed to the bedrooms as if to tell him he had to go to bed. Yugi just scoffed and made his way to one of the tables in the room, sat down in front of it, and pulled out his homework. Atem stood over him for a few minutes, but when it became apparent to him that Yugi was going to ignore him, he made his presence verbal.

"Get to bed, Mutou." Atem said in what Yugi assumed was supposed to be a scary voice.

"Can't I have homework to do." Yugi said pointing to the papers and books that were lying across the table.

"I don't care, go to bed." Atem demanded.

"No, I don't have the highest IQ by sitting around doing nothing." Yugi almost snarled back, but cut himself just short of doing so.

"Then take your homework with you!" Atem growled out.

"No! I'm not doing it on a soft surface, and you don't have a desk in your room." Yugi argued back.

"Either you take it in the room, or I will take it in there for you." Atem threatened in a low whisper.

"Table and all?" Yugi asked interested by this new proposal.

"Fine, table and all!" Atem yelled.

"Works for me!" Yugi said grinning as he gathered up his book bag, and books and papers off of the table.

Atem lifted the table in the air and over his head as he carried it down the hall. Yugi was planning on getting more difficult for the man, so that way when he did leave, Atem wouldn't be that sad to see him go. He actually hoped that the man would be glad to get rid of him, which meant he had to get started right away in making this man's life as difficult as possible. This table trick was only the beginning.

Atem sat the table down in his room, and motioned Yugi in. As soon as Yugi was in the room he shut the door and locked it. Yugi gasped and whirled around to look at the door in apprehension and fear. Had Atem really locked him in the room, and what for? He couldn't keep him in here they had a deal, he had to be allowed to attend school, if not, he wondered how Atem would be punished for breaking their deal. If he was punished at all. Sighing Yugi sat down at the table and didn't bother to pull out the homework he had been given. It was already complete anyway, he had done it in study hall, but Atem didn't need to know that.

Sitting here worrying about it wasn't going to help him, he would think more clearly in the morning, either that or look for a window to escape out of. Putting on his blue pajamas, Yugi climbed into the bed. Yugi started to wonder as he drifted off if there were any spare bedrooms in the warehouse, if there were; he was occupying one of those. Anything to get out of Atem's room was good for him.

[Atem]

"Are you sure that's where she died, Mira?" Atem asked into the phone as soon as Yugi was locked in his room. He wanted to make sure that none of this information he was getting leaked out.

_"__Yes, she died right outside Yugi's house. Vivian showed up to take her shift and found her there." Mira said tiredly into the phone._

"Do you know what killed her?" Atem asked.

_"__Some type of homemade poison, but we haven't determined exactly what it was as of yet." Mira said papers shuffling were heard over the phone._

"But it was definitely homemade?" Atem asked just to be sure.

_"__Yes, it was homemade."Mira replied confidently._

"Okay, I'll keep this under wraps and I won't let him find out. Will there be a funeral?" Atem said trying to hold back a yawn.

_"__Yes, this Thursday, 3:00 pm sharp. God, Anzu was the best at sharp right hooks; she will definitely be missed among my ranks."Mira said hanging up._

"Who on earth would want to kill, her and why dump the body outside Yugi's house?" Atem asked after the phone had gone dead.

Getting up, Atem made his way back to his room. Unlocking and opening the door he found Yugi fast asleep in his bed. Grinning, Atem took off his shirt and belt, leaving him in his pants that were swinging dangerously low on his hips, and climbed into bed with Yugi. Scooting him over, Atem wrapped his arms around him, and was surprised when Yugi cuddled into him. Chuckling under his breath, he soon joined Yugi in slumber.

**Okay Regulator I get it, you don't like my story and you hate me, but can you go away now because you're really starting to annoy me. And FYI Regulator, you don't have to read my story, you're choosing to. Get lost. Oh, and LEAVE MY READERS STORIES ALONE! THIS IS BETWEEN YOU AND ME, SO LET'S KEEP IT THAT WAY, KAY SWEETHEART? Thank you to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike! Also thanks to everyone who have/are favorited/following this story. Please review! Midnight ;p **


	17. Embarrassment

**I can see the end of this story, It's going to end a lot sooner than even I thought it would. Still, it has to end at some point right? I do not own Yugioh, enjoy!** [_FLASHBACK_]

Chapter 16

Yugi awoke the next morning to feeling strangely very content and comfortable. He really didn't want to get up, but he had school. His pillow was very comfortable, and it relaxed him to feel it gently rising and falling. Wait what, gently rising and falling? Since when did pillows move?

Opening his eyes Yugi found himself looking at a very toned and muscular chest. He was practically spooning Atem. When he tried to move away in absolute horror of his actions, he found himself restrained by an arm locked around his waist. So Yugi did the only thing any sensible person would do when waking up and finding themselves in a compromising position, he screamed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" He was high pitched and very loud.

Atem's eyes snapped open and he let go of Yugi to cover his ears. Yugi heard the pounding of feet as he scooted against the wall, so he was as far from Atem as he could be. Yugi stared at him like a deer caught in headlights as Atem just gave him a look of 'what the hell?' The door burst open and Marik, Bakura, and Otogi crowded into the room.

"What the hell's going on in here?" Marik asked.

Yugi just pointed at Atem and made unintelligent sounds, before getting up, jumping off the bed and bolting from the room. Yugi rushed down the hall to the bathroom, where he shut and locked the door. He couldn't believe he had been spooning Atem in his sleep. Well, yeah sure the guy was attractive, but still this was _Atem_. The guy who saw fit to try to kiss him every time they were in the same room together. There was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Hey Yugi, you wanna talk about what just happened in there?" Atem's voice asked through the door.

"Nope! I'm good." He said in a high pitched voice.

"You don't sound good, you sound high pitched." Atem replied skeptically.

"I'm fine." He replied in a normal voice.

"You sure, people usually don't scream for nothing." Atem was still skeptic. Yugi unlocked the door and opened it a crack.

"I'm fine." He assured before closing the door again and locking once more.

"So why did you scream?" Atem asked.

"You had your arm locked around me, and it didn't seem as if you were going to let go anytime soon. So I had to get it off somehow, and it worked." Yugi said like he was trying to convince himself more than Atem.

"Yeah, just try not to bust my eardrum next time." Atem said walking away.

"Wow, he bought it." Yugi whispered amazed before stripping and hopping in the shower.

[Ten minutes later]

Yugi had a problem, a very big problem. There weren't any towels in the bathroom, and he had left his uniform back in the room in his rush to get out. So what did he do? Risk being seen nude, or call for help? If he called for help, than Atem would probably want something in return, like a kiss. If he ran thru the hallway naked he would risk being seen by Atem, and the rest of them.

Yugi poked his head out of the bathroom door, his clothes positioned in front of him to hide his biggest asset. Looking one way and then the other, he didn't see anyone, just a barren hallway devoid of all living creatures. Figuring it was safe, Yugi made a break for it. He screeched to a halt in the doorway of his and Atem's room. There sitting on the bed facing him was Atem, and he took no shame in looking Yugi up and down in all his nude glory.

"My oh my, Yugi, being a little forward aren't we?" Atem said grinning like a mad.

"Out!" You ground out as he squeezed his eyes shut in embarrassment, his face felt like the inside of a volcano.

Atem laughed at his modesty as he walked out. Yugi could've sworn he muttered something along the lines of cute ass, as he shut the door behind him. Yugi all but face planted into the mattress, he was so embarrassed. He should have called for help, and then just let Atem kiss him.

As Yugi exited the bedroom, fully clothed, he heard muffled laughter coming from all places of the warehouse. Yugi squeezed his eyes shut, and had the urge to bang his head against the wall next to him. Before he could however, a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey, Yugi, come here I want to show you something. While you were in the bathroom, we had a vote and it was three against one about how we would prefer to wake up in the morning. So here, this is your new room." Marik said guiding him down the hallway to another door.

The room itself was plain, a simple queen sized bed with no sheets or blankets on it. The bed frame was made from Soft Maple, as was the small six drawer dresser, the nightstand, and the door for the closet that was open. Yugi walked into the room, devoid of anything that was really him. The walls were bare, and white, the closet empty with a few spare hangers hanging up in it. Yugi looked around and took it all in. It was much bigger than his old room, nearly twice in size; the only thing that disappointed Yugi was that it didn't have a window. Still, it was better than sleeping with Atem.

"Who gave up their room, so I could have this one?" Yugi asked looking back to Marik.

"No one, this is a spare room." Marik replied chuckling slightly.

"Spare?" Yugi deadpanned.

"Yes."

"ATEM!"

[Later]

To say Yugi was in a foul mood would be an understatement; he was overall very peeved that he had been tricked into sleeping in Atem's bed, _twice_. He had moved his stuff into the new room that morning all the while glaring at a rather put out and slightly amused Atem. When he had asked him for an excuse of why didn't tell him there were spare rooms, he got a copout excuse.

_"__I thought you would be scared sleeping in a new place, so I figured you'd feel more comfortable sleeping with some familiarity." Atem shrugged like it was no big deal._

_"__You are anything but familiar." Yugi replied glaring._

_"__Something I intend to change." Atem said looking at him with hooded eyes._

_"__Only in your dreams, darling." Yugi said in sickly sweet voice before marching out of the warehouse and off to school._

Still he wasn't the only one acting strange, he had noticed it before, but now at lunch time it was much more obvious. All the cheerleaders were crying over something, and now that Yugi thought about it, he hadn't seen Anzu Mazaki all day. Braving the cheerleaders' wrath for interrupting Yugi got up to go talk to them. He didn't get a word out before he was grabbed in a group hug, and every cheerleader it seemed wanted a shoulder to cry on.

As Yugi was tossed from cheerleader to cheerleader, he saw Malik, Ryou, Jou, and Kaiba a few times. He had wondered where they had disappeared off too. He thought he saw Honda too, but before he could tell for sure another cheerleader had grabbed him, and was crying into his shoulder. This however, put him right next to Ryou and he tried to talk with him before he was dragged of in another direction again.

"What's going on?" Yugi shouted over the crying.

"From what I've gathered so far, they're crying over the death of Anzu Mazaki who was poisoned with cyanide two nights ago." Ryou shouted back.

"Who would want to kill her?" Yugi shouted.

"No idea, but Mira's out for blood." Ryou managed to say before they both shoved to their feet and led out to the school grounds by the cheerleaders, to the area that they practiced in. It seemed that anyone who tried to show them comfort was now their captive crying pillow.

"What are we going to do? We needed Anzu to win Nationals!" One of the cheerleaders was complaining about.

"We're just going to have to find a replacement." Another answered her.

"No one can replace Anzu!" Another cut in.

"Of course not, but without that last move, we're sure to go home in second place. We've got to win, for Anzu!" another consoled.

"FOR ANZU!" All the cheerleaders yelled.

"Think we can slip away?" Jou asked suddenly bedside him. He must have crawled all the way over here.

"It'll be difficult, but not impossible." Yugi whispered back.

"Yeah, you can't miss any classes with that scholarship you have." Malik mentioned crawling up next to him.

"Yeah, and I have a plan of escape, but it's risky." Yugi whispered to them, motioning Ryou over.

"Well what is it?" Malik asked.

"It involves two sets of watery puppy dog eyes." Yugi explained.

"Yours better be one of those Yugi." Ryou said narrowing his eyes.

"I have to get to class, I don't have time to be coddled." Yugi explained frantically.

"You owe us Yugi." Malik growled out.

"Noted." Yugi replied and mock saluting him.

"Melody?" Ryou asked the nearest cheerleader to him tugging on her skirt a bit to get her attention.

"Yes, Ryou what is-? Oh my God, Ryou, Malik what's wrong babies?" She stopped short when she saw not _one_ but _two_ pairs of teary eyed puppy dog eyes looking at her.

"It's just we miss Anzu too!" Malik and Ryou said at the same time clasping hands and looking at her in a way that just screamed vulnerable cuteness.

As the other girls swarmed the two, Yugi, Jou, Kaiba, and Honda, so he had seen him, took off. They would come rescue them later, probably. Yugi was late for class and had received a detention for it, but at least he didn't miss his class and risk losing his scholarship for it. It's not like detention was boring or anything, the teacher was cool. She would pretty much let the students do whatever they wanted as long as they didn't try to skip out early. Yugi had seen a senior two years ago try that; the end result hadn't been pretty. They had not only had two more weeks worth of detention tacked on, but they were tied down in a chair with duct tape too. Yugi hadn't heard of or seen anyone try to escape detention since.

Yugi couldn't help but feel like he was forgetting something _very_ important as he walked out of detention, but oh well if he couldn't remember it, it must not have been that important after all. He was wrong, as soon as he walked into the warehouse and saw Marik and Bakura in the living room, he froze. He had forgotten Malik and Ryou with the cheerleaders. Marik and Bakura stared at him in concern as his eyes widened with realization.

"OH, RYOU! MALIK! I'M COMING!" Yugi shouted as he as tuned back around and bolted from the warehouse.

"Where are they?" he heard Bakura shout from behind him.

"CHEERLEADERS!" He screamed back as he rounded the corner.

Oh, Malik and Ryou were probably imagining ways in which to kill him right now. He could only think at how bad the torture was going to be, as Yugi rushed onto the school grounds. Yugi skidded to a stop in front of the cheerleaders.

"See, he didn't forget you. Right Yugi, you didn't forget them?" Melody said as soon as Yugi was able to breathe again.

"Of course not! I had detention guys, but I rushed over as soon as it was over. I could you never forget my almost brothers." Yugi said waving it off nervously.

"Which is why you were seen leaving the grounds, and then re-entering them in a hurry?" Malik asked crossing his arms.

"You're worse than Mira when it comes to spying on me." Yugi said helping Ryou and Malik off the ground.

"Hey Yugi, there's going to be a candlelight vigil outside of Anzu's house tonight. Can you come?" One of the other girls asked.

"I'll try to be there, but I'll have to sneak out." Yugi said back before leaving with Malik and Ryou.

"So about that favor?" Malik brought up immediately.

"As long as it doesn't involve kissing, I'll do it." Yugi replied. Malik and Ryou laughed.

"Don't worry; I'll leave that to Atem." Malik said smirking.

"Shove off, you." Yugi said playfully nudging him in the side.

"Can't then I wouldn't be able to entertain you anymore." Malik replied.

"I think you should leave that to Atem too, Malik." Ryou said smirking as well.

"Ryou!" Yugi cried in embarrassment at what he had just said.

They both laughed all the way back to the warehouse, at Yugi's embarrassment. He was right, their torture was bad. Then again, who else was going to tease him but these two, as they knew him the best. Yugi was smiling as he made his way into the warehouse, and led Ryou and Malik into his new room, where they talked and studied for their classes for the rest of the day.

**I'm starting to stock up chapters for this story and my others. That doesn't mean you should expect updates more often, it just means I won't have to write up three chapters a week. Right, thanks to everyone who have/are favorited/following this story. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. As well as the advice, thank you for that too. Please review! Midnight ;p**


	18. Trouble

**Phew, I somehow still got this up when I wanted to. I suppose miracles really do exist. I do not own Yugioh, enjoy!**

Chapter 17

"So tell me why I should let myself be dragged into this again?' Otogi asked them for what seemed like the fifth time in the past minute.

"Because Marik and Bakura will say no, and Atem will definitely say no." Yugi explained.

"Which part of this is supposed to be an incentive for me to help exactly?" Otogi asked placing a hand to his ear and turning it towards them.

"Say you'll help us or we'll puppy dog eye you." Malik said lazily.

"What you don't think I'm…immune?" Otogi started to ask confidently before it faded into a choked whisper.

Facing him were three pairs of larger than normal eyes, and quivering lips. They weren't putting much effort into it, just enough to get their way. They did put their heads really close together though. Otogi was the most susceptible to balk at their puppy dog eyes which was why they went to him.

"That's not fair; you can't do it all at once." Otogi said squirming under the triple stare.

"Please?" Yugi asked.

"Fine, just stop." Otogi conceded.

"It's just a distraction. Surely you can come up with something." Yugi reminded him.

"Yeah, I can come up with something." Otogi grumbled walking out of Yugi's room and down the hallway.

"We should probably get ready to leave now." Ryou suggested.

The three boys peeked their heads out of Yugi's room just as Atem, Bakura, Marik, and Otogi passed by the door. They were headed towards the bathroom. After another second it became apparent why.

"Now you saw a rat where again?" Bakura asked.

"The bathtub!" Otogi said.

"We should run." Yugi said already edging out the door and into the hallway.

"Why?" Ryou asked following him.

"You've spent the night here before?" Yugi asked.

"Of course!" Ryou said.

"What isn't in the bathroom?" Yugi asked.

"He's right we should run." Ryou said to Malik already picking up his own pace.

"Why?" Malik asked.

"They don't have a bathtub." Ryou said running.

The three boys made it safely into the living room and out the door. They ran all the way to the middle of Mira's territory, where they saw people lighting candles and outside of a house. Slowing down to a walk they pushed through the crowd until they came upon the cheerleaders.

"Yugi, Malik, and Ryou, what are you doing here?" Serenity asked in surprise.

"Melody invited us." Yugi responded taking the lead between the two others.

"Does Atem know you're here?" Mira asked from behind.

"Define know." Yugi said uneasily turning to look at her.

"Yugi!" Mira scolded. She looked away, sighed, and then snapped her fingers, immediately two Pawns were at her side. Yugi recognized them as Olivia Brown and Tracy Gray. They were next in line to become Knights if he recalled what he had overheard at one of the clubs.

"Stay with him, if he leaves your sight at anytime, there will be hell to pay. Understand?" Mira said pointing to Yugi.

"Yes!" they answered like they were responding to a military Sergeant.

"As soon as you light a candle, Yugi, you're going back to Atem. He's most likely already noticed that you're gone, and is going to be pissed. You better hope the punishment isn't too drastic." Mira said in a 'don't you dare argue with me' voice.

"Punishment? He can punish me? Like I'm some kind of child?" Yugi asked affronted.

"Maybe if you didn't act like one, you wouldn't be treated like one." Mira said getting really close to Yugi's face.

"Mira, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were more angry over Anzu's death than upset." Yugi said looking at her in a sideway look.

"How I feel is none of your business." Mira spat out.

Yugi shrunk back, Mira was changing. She was becoming more like a gang leader and less like his friend every day. He didn't like the change, and he was scared of it. Ducking his head he went to light his own candle so he could get back to Atem, and the most likely make out session he would have to endure from the man.

"Vivian, Rebecca! Escort Mr. Bakura and Mr. Ishtar home as soon as they've lit their own candles as well. I want you to travel in a pack, that way if someone _is_ after either of you, they will be discouraged to attack." Mira said as Vivian and Rebecca appeared by her side. She looked at Ryou and Malik with obvious dislike, but she would see that they came to no harm. If not for Yugi's sake, than her own.

As Mira turned around and surveyed the rather large outcome of people whom had come to pay their respects to Anzu; she caught a glimpse of Yugi making his way out of the crowd, and Tracy and Olivia following in his wake. Following him with her eyes, she saw them slip into the waiting darkness of the night. Looking over the crowd again, she saw Ryou and Malik being tailed by Vivian and Rebecca out of her territory too. They were headed for the park though, as it would be closer to their homes. As soon as those four slipped out of sight, she had a horrible feeling, similar to the one she had when Anzu had died. Nothing could be done now though, one of those girls was already gone.

Huffing in rage, Mira signaled to Serenity that they were leaving. She needed to look up an antidote for cyanide; there was no way that this person, whoever it was, was going to knock down her Knights like pins in a bowling match. Still, they had to be close to the gang in order for them to get the girls to drink this poison without conflict of suspicion. She needed to look deep down into her gang's history, to figure out who would possibly have a vendetta against her, or her Mother. Yeah, she had inherited this gang from her Mother, Lucy Kiryu. Looking back at the group, Mira noticed one other person missing. Penny. She was probably just doing something that had to do with peacekeeping though, so it was nothing to be stressed about. She would most likely show up later, but still it was a little odd, considering she was the one whom had pointed out Anzu's abilities in the first place.

[Yugi]

Yugi ran all the way back to the warehouse that was his new home. He had thought about stopping at the Game Shop to pick up his tuxedo for tomorrow's events, but had thought it better to just leave it where it was. He didn't want it to get crinkled or dirty.

Tracy and Olivia had been right behind him, up until the point that Yugi had crossed into Atem's territory. They had mysteriously disappeared after that. Yugi crept into the warehouse, and glanced around the living room. He had thought for sure that Atem would be here waiting for him, but since Yugi didn't see him, he decided to just stroll casually into the warehouse. Passing all the bedrooms, he found the doors closed, including Atem's, so he didn't know if he was in there or not either. Coming to his room, he opened the door a crack and peeked inside to see if he could find Atem in the dark. Upon seeing no shadows that shouldn't be in the room, Yugi opened the door wider and walked in.

As soon as Yugi was to almost the middle of the room, his door shut close behind him. This would have been fine, if the door usually shut on its own, but it didn't. So this could only mean that Atem had been waiting behind the door for him. Taking a deep breath, Yugi turned around to face the man.

Atem was sliding his hand off the door, and was pushing off the wall to walk towards Yugi. Yugi didn't dare back away; it would probably result in a longer make out session if he did. So instead he stood his ground, until Atem was right in front of him. Atem looked down at him coldly; there was absolutely none of that playful amusement he was used to in his eyes. Atem was keeping his hands to himself, as he stuffed them into his back pockets.

"Next time you want to sneak out, recruit someone else instead of Otogi. He has more brawns than brains." Atem said his voice even colder than his eyes.

"Okay." Yugi whispered. It was a good thing it was so quiet in the room, otherwise Atem probably wouldn't have heard him.

"Where were you?"

"I was at Anzu Mazaki's candlelight vigil."

"Why didn't you ask if you could go?"

"You would have said no."

"How do you know, when you didn't even ask?"

"Well, would you of?" Yugi asked raising his voice slightly.

"How am I suppose to know? You never asked me!" Atem raised his voice too.

"History says you would have said no." Yugi grumbled.

"Well, what do you think your punishment is going to be, Yugi?" Atem asked stepping closer to Yugi, their chests almost touching.

"I think I can take a gander." Yugi said looking Atem fearlessly in the eye.

"Did you know we have a kitchen here, Yugi?" Atem asked. This surprised Yugi slightly, as it had not been what _he_ had been expecting.

"Uh, no, why would I? I've never been in it." Yugi replied back.

"That's because it's a mess, and you're going to clean it tomorrow after school, until shines. Sneak out again, and I'll halve you clean Marik's room. Believe it or not, but his room is worse in the messy department than the kitchen is." Atem said backing away from Yugi and making to leave the room. Yugi stared after him for a few seconds, before speaking up.

"Wait, that's it?" there was a slight disappointment in his voice that even he didn't really understand. Atem paused halfway to the door, and looked back at him.

"Do you want more work?" Atem asked skeptically.

"I-no of course not, I just-never mind." Yugi flustered looking for the words to say without finding them. A slow smirk crept up onto Atem's face as he walked back to Yugi.

"Were you expecting something else as punishment, Yugi?" Atem asked slowly.

"No." Yugi answered back too quickly.

"You sure?" Atem asked.

"Yeah, I mean, I guess this just proves how little I really know you Atemmmmm." Yugi drew his name out in a moan as he was suddenly grabbed and kissed by the elder.

The kiss wasn't special, just lips pressed against lips, and strangely enough it was Yugi who wanted more. Taking Atem's bottom lip in between his teeth, he gently bit down on it. Atem opened his mouth in a gasp and Yugi shoved his tongue inside.

To say Atem was shocked would be an understatement; he was _astounded_ at Yugi's boldness. In their last heated kiss, Yugi had been fighting the whole tongue thing, and now he was instigating it? Oh, Yugi needed to be put in his place in Atem's opinion. He was dominant, and Yugi was submissive, and he was determined to make Yugi understand this, starting now.

Curling is tongue around Yugi's he guided the intrusive muscles out of his mouth and back into Yugi's, where he fought for control. He eventually beat Yugi's wet muscle down into submission and began to map out the younger's mouth. Though, it seemed that Yugi wasn't really the lay down inactive type as his tongue popped back up to run along the underside of Atem's tongue, making him moan. Atem retreated his tongue out of enemy territory, and started to kiss Yugi until his lips were swollen and bruised.

Yugi pushed Atem away, mostly for the reason of being unable to breathe than anything else. Atem didn't mind, he just reattached his lips to Yugi's neck as he started to suck and bite at the skin. Yugi, moaned at the feeling, this man was driving him mad with want, and the heat rushing to his southern regions wasn't exactly helping what he had to do either.

"Atem, stop." Yugi moaned out. Atem's lips paused for a half a second on his neck, before continuing in their attack against his flesh.

"You sure you want me to, Yugi?" Atem whispered his voice dropping an octave.

"Stop." Yugi said firmly.

Atem sighed, and pulled his lips away from Yugi's delectable skin. Atem looked down at Yugi, his eyes dark with lust and want, Yugi had no doubt he looked similar if not the same. Atem placed his right hand upon Yugi's left cheek and fiddled with his earlobe with the pointer finger of that hand.

"Are you sure you want me to stop, Yugi?" Atem asked looking him directly in the eyes.

"I'm sure." Yugi said confidently looking right back.

"Very well. Good night, Yugi." Atem said placing a kiss on his brow and then leaving the room.

"Good night, Atem." Yugi whispered after the door had clicked shut. Yugi fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. He hadn't wanted Atem to stop, he had wanted him to keep going, but to keep going would be admitting that he had feelings for the man. Yugi wasn't sure what his feelings were for the man yet, so he couldn't commit to something that extreme without figuring out his own feelings first.

[Atem]

"Oh, Yugi, what are you doing to me?" Atem asked out loud.

"That's a good question, what is he doing to you?" Marik asked from behind making the man jump.

"I feel different when I'm with him, than I have when I've been with other men." Atem explained turning to him.

"I think you're in love." Marik teased.

"No! Love can be used against you on the streets. Love is too dangerous, especially for someone like me." Atem immediately shot down.

"Well, how does he feel about you?" Marik tried.

"I don't know. I feel like every time I'm getting a little further with him, he pushes me away." Atem said rubbing the back of his neck in frustration.

"Seems like he's unsure of his feelings too." Marik commented.

"Or maybe he just doesn't have any for me." Atem said depressingly pushing past Marik to get to his own room. Marik heard the door open and shut. Pressing his ear against Yugi's door, he heard hushed sobbing coming from the other side.

"Or perhaps, he feels more for you than he wants to as well." Marik whispered taking his ear away and retreating back to his room again.

**Oh my, things sure are heating up between our two lovely main characters. Poor Yugi has to clean Atem's nasty kitchen though. Anyway, thanks to everyone who have/are favorited/following this story. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review. Midnight ;p**


	19. Rats and funerals

**This chapter is super long, 12 pages. I think I spoil you guys too much, two chapters in three days, yep that's definitely spoiling you. Anyhow, I do not own Yugioh, Fruits Basket, Axe, Vibram, or Lamborghini, enjoy!**

Chapter 18

Yugi stared with a gaping mouth at the mess before him. Marik's room was _worse_ than this? Yugi had a hard time believing such a thing. He couldn't see the floor, table, counters, sink, or anything really except a stinking never ending mess of garbage. _Were_ there dishes that needed to be washed in this mess?

"Hey Atem, have you ever heard of an anime or manga called Fruits Basket?" Yugi asked still staring at the mess before him.

"No, why?" Atem asked leaning against the door frame enjoying Yugi's reaction to the mess at hand.

"I am no Tohru Honda." Yugi said.

"Well, regardless of that unimportant fact, you still don't get to leave this room until it sparkles." Atem said while turning Yugi's head with his finger to face him.

"But that will take all night and half of the morning to complete." Yugi complained.

"Then I suggest you get started." Atem whispered at him before sauntering off. Yugi sighed and looked back at the mess. He was going to need some heavy duty equipment for this, like a flame thrower for instance.

Yugi had been cleaning for about two hours in the kitchen when he heard a strange noise. He had finally just unearthed the table, when he heard a scuffling sound nearby. At first he thought it was somebody playing a trick on him. You know that whole messy kitchen; anything could be living in it kind of thing. That was before he saw the two black beady eyes looking at him. The long sleek black furry body that was connected to those eyes. That worm of a tail that was connected to the body. Yugi stopped breathing as he climbed on to the table, and did something that would be considered girly by all that would behold it in the matter of seconds to come.

[Atem]

Atem flipped another page of his magazine, and as he waited for Yugi to admit defeat. Bakura, Marik, and Otogi were playing pool. Bakura thought he was so good he challenged the both of them. Marik and Otogi were currently winning by three balls. All was peaceful and quiet.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Atem jumped in his chair as his magazine went flying. Otogi missed the ball he was aiming for and instead knocked two of Bakura's into the pockets. Bakura looked pleased, while Marik looked put out.

"What the hell was that?" Marik asked looking away from the table to Atem.

"How should I know?" Atem asked getting up.

"Let's go check it out." Bakura suggested.

Atem led the way to the kitchen, and what a sight it was to behold. Yugi was on top of their wooden table, so that's where they put it, jumping up and down pointing at something on the floor. His face showed disgust, fear, and concern, probably for his own being.

"Kill it! Kill it! Kill it! Kill it! Kill it!" Yugi screamed looking at Atem.

"Kill what?" Atem asked completely baffled by his behavior.

"I don't know, but it was furry, black, had beady eyes and a long tail. Kill it!" Yugi whined.

"It sounds like he found your rat, Otogi." Bakura said grinning and walking away.

"Kill it!" Yugi screeched. Otogi and Marik made to move into the room, but Atem put his arms out holding them back.

"Sorry, Yugi, but we can't. You see the kitchen is your punishment, if we take care of your fears for you, how will you ever learn? If you need me, I'll be in my room." Atem said grinning up at Yugi who was still standing on the table. Yugi just flapped his lips at him, but no words came out. It was such cute and vulnerable look; Atem had to catch himself from cooing at it. Still, he walked away even to the sound of Yugi whining his name.

"Ateeeeem!"

"Figure it out yourself, Yugi." Atem called back opening the door to his room.

"That's a little harsh, don't you think?" Marik asked from behind him.

"Nah, kid needs to toughen up." Atem said.

"I suppose, but he isn't capable of killing." Marik said looking back towards the kitchen.

"He'll figure something out, I'm sure of it." Atem said walking into his room and shutting the door.

It was precisely fifteen minutes later that his door reopened. At first Atem thought it was one of the guys coming to tell him how Yugi had gotten rid of the rat. However, when the door opened a little wider, Atem was surprised to see that it was Yugi himself. He was holding a take-out Chinese box in his hands, and wearing a proud grin.

"Can I help you?" Atem asked raising an eyebrow.

"You sounded lonely earlier, so I brought you company." Yugi said before throwing the box into his room, and slamming the door quickly.

Atem thought this was odd behavior, and how could a box be company? Atem looked down at the Chinese take-out box, he thought that maybe it carried rice at onetime, and it moved. Marik had been right; he really wasn't capable of killing.

Taking out his silver revolver, it was his favorite gun because it left no shells behind, he aimed it at the Chinese take-out box. Pulling the trigger, he put a bullet through the box. Getting up Atem walked over to the box and kicked it, when it didn't move he dumped it in the trash. Atem had just sat back down in his bed when the door reopened, and a bag with two slim bodies came flying in.

"I found two more friends for you!" a cheerful Yugi said before the door closed again.

"Come on! I just took care of the last one!" Atem shouted.

"You told me to figure something out, and I have. I'm giving them to you." Yugi replied right back thru the door. Atem rolled his eyes; well at least he was jumping around like a girl anymore. Atem took aim, and fired two more shots.

[Yugi]

Yugi held the bag of five squirming rodents. These things were easy to catch, all he had needed was some old nasty moldy cheese, and they came in hoards. Putting it in a bag though, that had been a genius idea. Walking out of the kitchen Yugi went to Atem's door, opened it, threw the parcel in, and shut the door quickly.

"Yugi! Stop it!" Atem shouted thru the door. Yugi just ignored him.

Yugi walked back into the kitchen and checked the other two bags. There were three in one and six in the other. Yugi tied up the one with six in it quickly, and picked it up. God, their kitchen was like a rat harvest or something. He just hoped this was the last of them right here. He really needed to focus on cleaning the kitchen, not catching rodents and giving them to Atem as presents.

Walking back down the hallway, Yugi opened the door and threw the bag in, and then shut the door quickly again. That still didn't block out the sound of a gunshot. Strangely, Yugi didn't feel any remorse for the rats, that was odd, he thought he was compassionate to all living creatures. Apparently rats weren't included in that. Shrugging, Yugi went to check the last bag. There were four more in the bag when he returned. With seven in the bag now, he figured that was enough and tied it up. Yugi threw the bag into Atem's room; and went to listen of there was any more scuffling sounds in the kitchen. After several seconds of silence, he figured he had gotten them all and continued to clean.

[Atem]

Twenty bullets, he had wasted twenty bullets on the stupid things. Atem sighed as he sat down on his bed again, and surveyed the mess that was now his room. Damn Yugi, when had told him to figure something out, this wasn't what he had meant. Plus, considering the kid hadn't thrown anymore bags of rodents into his room, in the last ten minutes, which meant that there weren't any more in the kitchen. No, all their corpses were in his room and what was that Ra awful smell? It smelled like something that had gone bad years ago.

Atem was afraid to look in the bags, to see what else he would find. Who knew what Yugi had used to lure the rodents in the bags in the first place? Whatever it was, it reeked worse than Axe cologne did.

[Yugi]

Yugi had his hand clasped over his mouth and nose as he stared at the sink. Where there even dishes in it? Or was it just mold and fungi? He swore he actually saw a mushroom growing in the mess somewhere, no doubt it was poisonous.

With his hand still clasped over his mouth and nose, Yugi made his way out of the kitchen. Walking down the hall, he removed his hand from his face as he stood in front of Atem's door. Raising his hand, he knocked upon the wooden surface. Atem opened the door a minute later.

"What, more rats?" Atem asked.

"No. do you have a face mask and gloves?" Yugi replied shortly before asking his question.

"Why?" Atem asked.

"There's something growing in your sink, and it isn't pleasant." Yugi said with a disgusted face.

"Oh, come on, it can't be that bad." Atem brushed off.

"Have you seen it?" Yugi asked in an incredulous voice.

"Nope, I haven't seen that sink in a year." Atem said casually like it was no big deal.

"I'm throwing those dishes away." Yugi said after a few seconds silence, walking back towards the kitchen.

"What?"

"If there are any dishes in that moldy sink they are getting tossed!" Yugi yelled turning to look at him before turning into the kitchen.

"You can't just throw away our stuff!" Atem said following him down the hall.

Yugi stood in front of the sink his hand clasped over his mouth and nose, again. How was he even supposed to tackle this mess without gloves? He couldn't touch the mold and fungus without releasing a stream of poisonous spores. He heard Atem walk into the room, and freeze.

"Uh, Yugi, why don't you clean something else while Otogi and Bakura run to the store and get you a pair of gloves and face mask. Then you can tackle the sink. Perhaps it's time for some new dishes. " Atem said like he was in a daze.

"Okay." Yugi was only too happy to agree, as he looked to the floor and started to tackle the garbage there.

Yugi heard Atem walk away, and down the hallway to the living room. There was a bit of arguing before heavy footfalls left the warehouse. Marik and Atem were discussing something before; feet were heard coming back in his direction.

"Sure you're exaggerating, it can't be that bad." Marik was saying.

"Believe me, it's bad." Atem assured.

"All right, let's see this monster of fun-. Sure you don't just want to get a new sink?" Marik said cutting of his sentence as he came to an abrupt halt in the kitchen doorway.

"He just offered to get rid of the dishes, nothing more or less." Atem said. Yugi looked over to see him leaning against the frame of the door.

"Atem, that's kind of ridiculous to expect don't you think?" Marik asked pointing to the sink.

"It builds character, Marik." Atem said simply before walking back towards his bedroom.

Marik sighed, and looked to Yugi, who quickly looked away. He went back to picking up trash with his right hand, and putting it in the garbage bag in his left. He heard Marik sigh again, and walk away.

Yugi had the entire floor cleaned of trash by the time Otogi and Bakura returned. Yugi was marveling at finding the floor, when before it had just looked like a garbage pit. Bakura came into the room and threw a packet of yellow gloves, face masks, and a pair of goggles at the back of his head. No warning, he just threw them into the kitchen and let them land wherever, which just happened to be the back of Yugi's head.

Rubbing the back of his head, Yugi scooped up his prize. Opening the gloves packet Yugi took out the too big gloves and put them on. They came all the way up to his shoulders, not that Yugi was complaining, he didn't want any part of him touching that infested part of the sink. Grabbing some rubber bands that he had unearthed earlier, he strapped the gloves in place so they wouldn't slide down his arms. Taking the face mask, he put that on too. Last he snapped the goggles onto his face, it hurt, but he wanted to get this done before the am hours started. Figuring he looked strange enough, he went down the hall to ask Atem where the dumpster was.

[Atem]

Atem heard a light knock on his door, and he knew it didn't take a genius to know who that was. Opening the door he was met with quite the sight. Yugi had yellow gloves on that covered his entire arms, and were being held in place by two bright blue rubber bands. Half of his face was covered by a light blue mask, like one that would be used for painting. The other half was magnified by the goggles covering his face, making his bright amethyst eyes look even bigger than they actually were. Atem couldn't help it, Yugi looked ridiculous, and so he started laughing.

Loud and full of joy, the laughter echoed off the walls of the hallway and his room. Atem was clutching the door frame for support, he was laughing so hard. Yugi just stood in front of him, tapping his foot, but letting him, laugh. When Atem finally had control of his laughter, he asked what Yugi wanted.

"Okay, what do you want now?" he was still grinning.

"I would like to know where your dumpster is." Yugi said even if his voice was a little muffled because of the mask.

"Our dumpster? It's right outside the kitchen's back door. Didn't you see the door when you were cleaning?" Atem asked confused.

"Yes, but I thought it was a utility closet, or pantry. Thank you, Atem." Yugi nodded before turning to go back to the kitchen. Even from behind Yugi looked humorous with his hair flattened in the back because of the goggles strap. Shaking his head in amusement, Atem went back into his room.

[Yugi]

That was the third dish he had found in the moldy mess of a sink, and he felt like he was about to throw up, the smell was so bad. Not to mention that the look of the green, grey, and white; mildew, mold, and fungus, had his gag reflex on the fritz. Yugi was seriously thinking about taking Marik up on his offer, and just removing the whole sink.

Still, though, Yugi continued to dig around in the mold arena, as he had started to call it, to find more dishes to throw in the trash bag at his feet. Yugi pulled out another one and quickly shoved it into the bag. If only he knew how many dishes were in here, it would make things so much _easier_.

Twenty minutes later and Yugi had somehow managed to find all 55 dishes in the sink. Yes, he had counted them as he pulled them out, now all that was in the sink was a few clumps of mold. Using the better part of his courage Yugi put his hand into the sink and pulled those out too, and quickly shoved them into the open bag. Once the sink was generally clean, Yugi tied up the garbage bag, and carted it out to the dumpster outside. No surprise that it was empty when Yugi lifted the lid of the giant green dumpster. Yugi made six more trips out to the dumpster, depositing one bag after another into the dumpster. Finding the room to be generally clean, it was time to scrub it down.

Grabbing a mop, broom, dishrags, bucket, and lots of soap, Yugi got started on the monstrous mess. He scrubbed down the sink, counters, stove inside and out, microwave inside and out, cabinets, walls, and table until all the dirt and grime was either on the floor or on a dishrag that needed a serious washing.

Next he swept up the kitchen, before filling the bucket with hot water and soap, then Yugi got to scrubbing on his hands on knees, the kitchen floor. He was going to use the mop originally, but he was pretty sure it wasn't supposed to be black. So throwing it in the dumpster along with all the other trash, Yugi cleaned the floor the old fashioned way.

By the time Yugi was done he was exhausted. He could barely hold himself up; his arms were shaking so badly. Still, somehow he found the strength to call Atem, right before passing out, falling asleep; he didn't know which one, probably a mixture of both, on the kitchen floor.

[Atem]

"Ateeeeeeeem!"

Atem barely heard the whining of his name. He got up and opened the door to find the hallway empty. Stepping out of his room, he looked to the left and right, he still didn't see Yugi. Sighing, he went to the kitchen to find him sleeping in the middle of a sparkling kitchen. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen it shine so much.

"Hey guys, come check this out!" Atem called down the hallway.

"What is it?" He heard Bakura grumble.

"Come and see." He tempted.

A groan was heard before three different sets of tired footsteps were heard making their way towards him. The three came up to him, and he pointed into the kitchen. He watched with enjoyment as their jaws dropped. Chuckling he walked up to Yugi, crouching down he scooped him up into his arms. He'd forgotten how light he was, anyone could just walk away with him. For some reason this thought scared Atem a bit. Shaking it off, he walked past the other three who were cautiously stepping into the kitchen. As if, if they took any steps into it, they could dirty or soil all of Yugi's hard work and efforts.

Atem walked back to Yugi's room where he took off his gloves, face mask, and goggles. The goggles had left an imprint around his eyes, dark red lines. Taking off his shoes too, Atem threw back his covers and put Yugi into the bed. Tucking him in, Atem placed a kiss on his brow.

"Good night, Yugi." Atem said quietly.

"Night, 'Tem." Yugi muttered making Atem pause for a second. Figuring he was just talking in his sleep, Atem smiled slightly, and left the room.

[Saturday]

Yugi awoke to his alarm going off. It felt as if he had just closed his eyes, and already he needed to get up again. For all he could know, he _did_ just close his eyes. He didn't know what time he had stopped cleaning the kitchen, there hadn't been a clock in the kitchen to tell him how much time was passing. He had to of cleaned well into he morning hours though. Stretching, Yugi groaned as he felt his back protest from all the bending down he had done yesterday. Getting out of bed, Yugi grabbed his shoes put them on along with his jacket and made his way out of his bedroom.

Walking out to the living room, he stopped when he saw Atem there rubbing the back of his neck. Yugi didn't know what that meant, but he was sure he would find out eventually. Yugi tried to sneak past him, but Atem was much too observant for his own good.

"Where are you going?"

"It's Saturday, I don't have to tell you anything." Yugi said looking over his shoulder at him, and continuing to walk out.

Yugi walked all the way to the Game Shop and unlocked it with his key. Going upstairs to his room, Yugi opened his closet and pulled out a tux. The tux was made of an expensive black cloth that was easily wrinkled. The shirt to go with the tux was an amethyst silk button down shirt, and the tie was also made of silk and was black. It had even come with a pocket handkerchief that was an amethyst color too. The last time Yugi had worn this outfit he had been going to an interview for a scholarship at Tokyo University. Now though, now he was wearing it for a much more morbid celebration. It was so depressing he couldn't even think it.

Sighing, Yugi shed his clothes and went across the hall to take a shower. When his shower was done, he went back to his bedroom in only a towel wrapped around his hips. Pulling out a pair of briefs, he put them on under the towel, and then removed it. Slowly, ever so slowly Yugi pulled on the pants, shirt and tucked it into the pants, the tie, the jacket, and black socks. Last he pulled on his Vibram: Sole Italian Leather Oxford Shoes. He still couldn't believe that his Grandpa had bought such expensive shoes for him. Still, his Grandpa had said 'that a first impression should be the best impression.' Yugi looked at himself in his long mirror that was hanging on the inside of his closet door. Figuring he looked his best, Yugi left the house, and headed towards his destination.

Yugi wasn't oblivious to his stalker as he walked the streets of Atem's territory, and partially into Mai's. He knew full well that Atem was following him, he had expected it. It made him feel safe for some reason, even though he knew it shouldn't. He wondered if he was going to follow him all day or just until he knew where Yugi was going.

Standing outside the black iron gates, Yugi hesitated, but ended up pushing them open anyway. After all his destination was inside, and the quickest way to get to it, was to use the front entrance. Yugi walked through the quiet area, nothing stirred, not that he expected anything to. Stopping before a giant hole in the ground, Yugi looked to the left of it and saw the coffin sitting serenely next to the hole that had been dug for it. Looking above the hole, Yugi saw the tombstone for his Grandfather.

_Here lies _

_Solomon Julian Mutou_

_A beloved Grandfather and friend, he will be missed by all._

_July 5, 1927-May 2, 2013_

_Rest in peace old man._

Yugi smiled, they had inscribed it on the tombstone exactly as he had written it. Yugi felt a few tears leak from his eyes as he stared back down at the hole that they were going to place his Grandfather in. Yugi heard the crunching of feet behind him, and turned to find, not Atem like he had for some reason been expecting, but Malik and Ryou. They came to stand on either side of him, both holding a bouquet of flowers. Yugi hadn't brought anything for his Grandfather, but it was okay, he had paid for everything else himself. The hole, the coffin, the tombstone, the ceremony; he had paid for the entire funeral out of the money he had won from competitions, and there had just been enough to cover it all too.

Yugi waited with his two friends that he considered being his brothers, as Kaiba, Mokuba, Jou, Honda, Rebecca, Mira, Serenity, Penny, and Akeifa showed up. Last to come up behind him was the priest he had been able to hire for the length of the service. It was only a half hour, but it was something.

The funeral was short, it talked about how good of a man that his Grandfather was, and how he was in a better place watching over them. How he would be waiting until our own times came, and we could join him in everlasting peace. Then everyone dumped their bouquets into the hole, except Kaiba, he handed it to Yugi instead. Yugi pulled out four roses, and let the rest of the bouquet drop into his Grandfather's grave. The machine that held his Grandfather's coffin in straps lowered it down into the grave, and they all grabbed a shovel and buried him. Once he was completely covered in fresh dirt, Yugi laid one of the four roses on the mound of dirt. Yugi then turned and started to walk further back among the tombstones, to the ones that he and his Grandfather used to visit together. He stopped in front of two tombstones; they stood right next to each other. A few more tears slipped down his cheeks. These tombstones reminded him of how alone he truly was in the world. The first one was a woman's.

_Here lies _

_Sarah Marie Mutou_

_A Mother, a Daughter, and beloved Wife_

_January 26, 1971-September 18, 1998_

And directly underneath it

_Here lies_

_Sakura Anne Mutou_

_A life that never got the chance to live_

_I would have been born December 20, 1998,_

_if only I had been given the chance to live that long._

The second tombstone belonged to a man.

_Here lies_

_Takeshi Aaron Mutou_

_A Father, a Son, and beloved Husband_

_June 13, 1969-September 18, 1998_

His parents, he had only been three years old when they had been killed in a drive by shooting. He had lied to Atem when he had said he knew nothing of violence, he knew plenty about it. His parents had been killed because of it, and they had just been bystanders. Yugi crouched down and placed two of the roses on top of his Mother's grave, and the other on his Father's.

He only had pictures of their faces, and that was the only thing preventing him of forgetting what they looked like. He had already forgotten everything else. The way his Mother's voice sounded when she sang him to sleep. The way his Father greeted his Mother when she came home after running an errand for her friend, a woman named Lucy. The way his parents used to hold him between them, when he was scared during a lightning storm. The way they smelled, he had even forgotten that. Though, he vowed that by having pictures of them hanging on his wall, he would never forget what they had looked like. He didn't think he could forgive himself if he ever forgot something as important as that.

"Take care of the old man for me, and continue to watch out for my safety. I'm to graduate soon; I only have five weeks of school left. Being a senior, I don't have to show up for the last week of school. I plan on moving out of this God forsaken town during that week anyway. I'm going to study Archeology and then move to Egypt, and settle down with a good wife and make lots of kids. I won't let the Mutou line die out with me. Just don't tell anyone my plans; they think I'm coming back here as soon as I finish College. I think the only one who didn't by that was Malik and Kaiba, they're much too perceptive. I have to get to Kaiba's now, that's where we're celebrating Grandfather's life here on Earth. I love you all, and miss you very much." Yugi said before getting out of his crouch and standing up.

He walked back through the tombstones, past his Grandfather's, and back towards the pathway out of the cemetery. Yugi was the last one out, so he closed the black iron gates just like he had been the one to open them. Letting his hand linger on the cool metal, Yugi turned and headed for Kaiba's mansion.

Yugi had only taken a few steps in the direction that the mansion was, when an orange Lamborghini pulled up next to him. It wasn't a car Yugi recognized so he kept on walking. Still, a car is hard to ignore when it continues to drive along side of you, and rolls down its windows.

"Where're you going cutie? I'll give you a ride." A rough voice said from inside the car.

Yugi stopped, and turned to look at the person driving the car. He was a guy of a modern build, nothing special; brown hair, brown eyes, straight nose, and thin lips. His beauty didn't compare to Atem's in the least bit.

"Thanks but I'm good." Yugi said as he continued to walk along the sidewalk.

"Get in; I'll give you a ride." He insisted.

"I highly doubt that you're headed in the same direction." Yugi commented.

"Like that matters." He said smirking. Yugi heard the unspoken words loud and clear. Once you get in, you we won't be headed in your direction anymore, we'll be going in mine.

"Keep moving, Servant." A cold voice suddenly spoke up from behind Yugi, draping an arm over his shoulders in the process.

"Of course, Pharaoh." He said before driving off with squealing tires.

"Pharaoh?" Yugi asked looking at Atem.

"A name I acquired from my Father." Atem explained vaguely.

"Oh, well, thanks for that. I'll just be on my way now." Yugi said shrugging Atem's arm off, and starting down the sidewalk again.

"Where are you headed?" Atem asked easily keeping pace with him.

"It's still Saturday, Atem." Yugi said smiling. He would be lying if he didn't say that he was enjoying keeping Atem in the dark of his plans for the day. Even though, they were just going to the cemetery to bury his Grandfather, and then going to Kaiba's to celebrate his long life. That was it, that was his plans for the day.

He hadn't wanted Atem to be a part of it several days ago, but for some reason, now he was wishing the man would join them. It was a strange feeling, and it confused him. Yugi stopped outside of Kaiba's mansion, torn between inviting him in and sending him home. In the end, he chose the latter.

"Go home, Atem, I'll have Kaiba give me a ride back to your place afterwards." Yugi said facing away from him. Why did being away from this man make him want to cry?

"Okay, I'll be watching and waiting for you." Atem said. Yugi heard his footsteps recede into nothingness, and he was alone.

Pushing open the silver gate, Yugi walked up to Kaiba's blue door and gold knocker. Banging the knocker against the blue door three times, Yugi waited for someone to answer it. As he waited, he came to the horrible conclusion that he was in love with Atem, and there was nothing he could do to change it. The door opened and Yugi walked in with this new information that concerned his heart. He could only imagine what his friends would say if they ever found out that what they were trying to prevent had happened. He was in love with Atem, and there wasn't a single thing _anyone_ could do to change it.

**Almost all the pieces are in place, all the information on the table, there are still just a few things you need to know before I can bring the curtain down on this supposed happy ending. Oh, but first I would like to thank Rapid Puzzleshipper Saiko for the moldy dish idea, thank you! I thought of putting things like cockroaches, centipedes, and other little critters in the kitchen too, but then I remembered that one of my readers has a serious fear of cockroaches, so I just left it at rats. Now, thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Also, thanks to everyone who are/have following/favorited this story. Please review. Oh, and Guest, I almost forgot, just because I used a similar format when talking on the phone or using cell phones as one of your favorite Authors, doesn't mean I stole it from them. It's a format of writing, meaning no one owns it, anyone can use it, and I can guarantee you, you'll find a lot more like that on FF. Midnight ;p**


	20. Strategies

**Wow, ten pages, that's a lot of words. I do not own Yugioh or Pillsbury, enjoy.**

Chapter 19

Yugi was silent as he sat in the plush limo staring out the window. The only sound in the interior was the tapping of fingers on the keyboard. Yugi glanced at Kaiba, and then looked away again. He knew he had disappointed a lot of people at the party by disappearing, and shooting hoops in the back. He got three out of ten in, a new record for him. He just couldn't handle it, he thought he would have been able to, but he couldn't.

The loss was still too fresh, too near. So he had slipped away, like he had done at the Hospital. He had slipped away, and gone to see some of the kids who had Leukemia. They enjoyed the attention, even if the one giving it to them was crying, and had red and puffy eyes. They still enjoyed him putting puzzles together with them, timing their races, dancing to the music coming from the small radio on the shelf, and showing them some of his most famous dueling strategies. They had enjoyed that last one the most.

Yugi smiled slightly remembering the joy on their faces. Even when Kaiba had finally come to collect him, they still smiled at his leaving form. He should go back and see them. They probably didn't get many visitors since over half of them were orphans. The parents that did visit probably only went to see their own children, and didn't even think of the other children. He'd make that a point to do next weekend; he'd go see the kids with Leukemia.

"We're here." Kaiba said suddenly pulling Yugi from his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh." Yugi said looking out the window and seeing the Game Shop.

Yugi got out, walked up the walkway, and unlocked the door. He knew why Kaiba had dropped him off here; he didn't want Yugi to ruin his best outfit. Walking up the stairs, Yugi took off his jacket, tie, shirt, shoes, socks and pants. He put them back on their respective hangers as he threw the socks in the dirty hamper basket. He put the shoes away, and pulled out different clothing. A white tank top, black cargo pants, and black flip flops. Grabbing his tennis shoes, Yugi made his way out of the Shop.

Making sure to lock the door behind him, Yugi made his way towards Atem's warehouse. It wasn't dark out yet, but it wasn't exactly light out either. There was just enough sun to see, but not enough to tell where he was going. Yugi walked slowly and cautiously through the semi dark alleyways, until he was in front of Atem's front door. Pushing the door open, Yugi crept inside to see Atem sleeping on the couch.

He smiled at the peaceful look on his face; Atem looked as if he didn't have a care or worry to bother him. His chest rising and falling in an easy pattern, Yugi watched him sleep for a few moments before walking towards his room. Yugi set his shoes down, and walked over to Atem's room, where he grabbed the blanket that was on the bed off of it. Going back out to the living room, Yugi draped the blanket over Atem's sleeping form, and then went back to his own room.

Yugi never saw Atem's eyes slit open slightly, and watch him as he retreated into the dark hallway. Smiling at Yugi's kindness, Atem pulled the blanket around himself more comfortably. He slowly fell back asleep, still smiling at the small form of kindness he had received.

[Sunday]

Atem awoke the next morning to the sounds and smells of bacon frying. Atem opened his eyes, his nose twitching as the smell tickled his senses. Throwing off his blanket, Atem made his way to the kitchen and saw Yugi cooking at the stove. There was empty grocery bags littered all over the kitchen. The sound of an egg cracking brought his attention back to Yugi.

"When did you go shopping?" Atem asked leaning against the door as he suppressed a yawn.

"This morning, you said I could go." Yugi said looking over at him.

"I did?"

"Yes, I asked this morning, 'Can I go shopping since we have a clean kitchen but no food?' you responded by saying, 'Yeah, that sounds like a wonderful idea.' Don't you remember?" Yugi explained.

"Mmm, something smells good." Bakura said coming up behind Atem.

"Was I completely awake?" Atem asked, drawing Yugi's attention back to him.

"Yes, your eyes were wide open. I read somewhere though once, that if you fall asleep within five minutes of waking up, you don't remember anything that you could have said or done while awake. That must have been what happened." Yugi said turning back to the eggs and whisking them. When had they gotten a whisk? Better yet what were they going to eat off of, since Yugi had thrown away all their dishes?

As if reading his thoughts, Yugi held up a pack of paper plates, and a box of silverware. He then poured the eggs into a pan that sat ready and waiting on the stove. The sounds of eggs cooking now filled the kitchen along with the bacon. Wait, where had they gotten the pans? That toaster hadn't been there before either.

"Yugi, where did all these pans and appliances come from?" Atem asked afraid that Yugi had used his own money to get them. Great he was going to have to pay the kid back, and who knew how much they cost?

"My house, they were of no use to me there, so I brought them over here." Yugi explained cutting the eggs up into bite size pieces in the pan. Once he seemed satisfied with his job, Yugi opened a bag of bread, put four slices into the toaster, and shoved them, using the button available, into their own personal oven for cooking.

"Are you two planning on standing in the doorway, or are you going to sit down?" Marik's voice asked suddenly from behind him.

Atem moved more formally into the room and sat in one of the chairs, and the rest followed suit. Once everyone had sat down, he realized that there were only four chairs, and he needed five. He could just make Yugi stand, but that wouldn't be very nice considering the boy was standing now, cooking breakfast for everyone.

Cursing under his breath, Atem got up to get go find another chair for Yugi to sit in. He wandered into the living room, and spotted a hard wooden chair in the back corner. Grabbing it he made his way back to the kitchen where he sat down the chair on his left. Sitting back in his chair, he felt strangely accomplished.

The four men sat in an awkward silence, something that was noticed by Yugi. He turned around to face them, and looked as if he was going to say something as the toast popped up. Closing his mouth he went to attend to it, putting four more slices in the toaster, and sending them into their own personal oven. Yugi then went back to the stove and checked the bacon and eggs. He pulled the bacon and the eggs out of the frying pans and put them on five separate plates, which Atem hadn't noticed before.

Yugi waited for the toast to pop up before placing it on the plates as well as he put two more pieces in. He turned back around with a single plate in hand and started eating it. He looked to them than at the plates next to him, as if to say you hungry?

The four men got up and retrieved the plates, and by the time they had sat back down, Yugi was sitting quite comfortably on the counter where their plates had been sitting moments before. Yugi's toast popped up and he grabbed it out of the toaster from behind him. Breakfast was eaten in pure silence. The only sound to be heard was plastic forks and knifes scraping across paper plates, and the munching of toast, bacon and eggs.

Yugi hopped off the counter after he was done eating, and made a show of pulling the trash can out from under the sink and putting his plate and silverware in it. After, he casually walked out of the kitchen and back to his own room, the door shutting quietly.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he wants us to throw our garbage away." Bakura said sarcastically.

"Make sure you do, he just spent all of Friday night cleaning this space. It would be a horrid shame to get it dirty again so quickly." Atem said putting his own trash in the garbage.

Walking back to Yugi's room, he knocked on the door. There was a sigh of what sounded like annoyance and frustration rolled into one, before feet were heard being dragged across the floor. The door opened enough for Yugi's head to be seen in the doorway.

"Yes?"

"Come play a round of pool with me."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I have homework assignments that I haven't worked on all weekend, there are finals coming up in a month that I need to study for, and I have a pre-final test this week in all of my classes. I'm sorry, but I just don't have the time." Yugi said before closing the door.

"Can't you take a break?" Atem yelled through the door.

"I just started, so no. I'll play a game with you at lunch time, okay?" Yugi yelled back.

"Fine."

Atem went back to the living room to find the others already around the pool table, and Marik was holding out a stick to him. Atem smirked as he took it in his hands, and they divided up into teams and started what would turn out to be a long game.

[In another part of Domino]

"Catch!" a hooded figure said.

"What's this?" Satake asked looking at the vial of clear liquid.

"An antidote to cyanide. Mira was passing it out today to all of us." They growled.

"Now what are we going to do? You already informed me that she took the guns from the 22 Pawns. Now she comes up with an antidote for cyanide?" Satake said tossing the vial back.

"We do the only thing we can do, either light them up, one by one, or tear them down from the inside."

"That's not just dangerous, it's suicidal."

"Yes, but Mira is oblivious towards my true intentions. I want her blood, and you want Atem's. Now that they have formed an alliance, we can easily kill two birds with one stone."

"What about Mai? Should we recruit her, even if it's late in the game?"

"No, it would be pointless, and she would most likely inform Akeifa of our plans. If this gets out, I'm running, what will you do?"

"Fight to the death, I'm no coward."

"And I am?"

"No, you've put yourself in danger too many times to be called a coward. Is Mira suspicious?"

"She's knows it's someone close to her, but that's it. I shall plant evidence to draw attention from myself. It should buy us some time, but not much. I figure we will have until the end of the year to wrap this up. She's planning on having Olivia Brown, Tracy Gray, and Sheila Carmalston, take up the positions of Knights"

"Good, I'm not sure how much longer I can keep lying to Pegasus before he catches on. I may have to end up killing him, and then hiding the body. Sheila Carmalston, that big husky girl?"

"Yes, if Mira follows through, Tracy and Olivia will be untouchable, as well as the rest of them. Do whatever you need to, just don't divert from our plan. I worked hard to get you Atem's drug truck, and it cost Yugi his Grandfather's life, just so you could get out of debt."

"What if he finds out and attempts to take them back?"

"Contact me, but don't do anything rash. I have to go, we'll meet here same time next week." The figure said looking at their watch.

"Fine, but we need to make these meetings shorter; I'm starting to get people who are rebelling."

"Heh, good luck."

"Thanks, I'll see you next week, big sister."

"Bye, little brother."

Both parted and went their separate ways. The wind whistled through the trees. The swings creaked in the breeze, and moved slightly. The grass moved like water on the sea, and the flowers bowed down. A small figure climbed out of the fortress of tires and ran off. The figure was that of a small boy, that couldn't be more than seven or eight years of age. They had heard everything, but they didn't live in any of the three territories. They lived in Mai's, and were now faced with the decision of keeping quiet or telling someone, a decision that no young child should ever have to face.

[Mira]

"Where is she?" Mira asked frustrated for the fifth time.

"I don't know where Serenity is, but Rebecca is missing too." Tracy said trying to calm down her leader. They really needed Serenity, only she knew how to do it perfectly.

"Find her! FIND HER, _NOW_!" Mira screamed.

"Yes, ma'am!" Tracy, Olivia, and Sheila responded immediately.

Mira threw the folders on the table. One showed a picture of Penny, one of Rebecca, and the third of Yugi. All had reasonable proof for a vendetta against her. Mira's Mother, Lucy, had shot and killed Penny's Father for being a traitor. Plus she had connections in other gangs, just by being a Peacekeeper. Mira highly doubted that she would risk everything just for revenge though; it didn't seem like something she would do. Still, the suspicion was still there.

Mira's Mother had thrown Rebecca's Grandfather out of the territory when he was found to be slipping information to other gangs about her strategies that he heard in her Clubs. Rebecca could still go see the old man though; Mira wouldn't dare to prevent it. She knew how important family was, considering she didn't have any more blood relatives herself. She doubted Penny more than Rebecca right now, even though Penny had more cause.

Yugi's Mother had been the Queen to her Mother. Mira didn't know if Yugi knew this, but he was still on her radar. If Sarah hadn't been out doing a job with her husband for Lucy that day, Yugi would probably still have both parents, and a younger sister besides. There was also no doubt that he could get anyone to trust him long enough, to drink a poisoned drink. Mira honestly didn't believe that Yugi _could_ kill, even to save his _own_ life, but still, he had motive.

All three had inside connections into her gang, and undeniable trust with the Vivian and Anzu. Though, considering both were dead now, that trust was a thing of the past. Rebecca had last been seen with Vivian, and Vivian with Anzu. If they were picking of her girls like that, Rebecca was most likely the next target if she wasn't the criminal herself. It looked like she was going to have to steal from the police station, down the street.

If they couldn't get any more cyanide into her girls, they would try one of two options. Light them up, or tear her down from the inside. If they went with the second option, she would find out who it was faster. If they went with the first, she could collect the bullets from whatever body they made Swiss cheese of, and still find out who it was that way. Either way, she was going to get to the bottom of this.

"What's going on?" Serenity asked coming into the room with Rebecca, Tracy, Olivia, and Sheila trailing behind.

"We need to make a midnight grab tonight." Mira said looking up at her.

"Where from?"

"Popo, we need bullet proof vests."

"How many are we grabbing?"

"Enough for everyone in this room, including Penny."

"And when she asks where we got them from?"

"She shall receive no answer. Some things, she just doesn't need to know the answer to. Rebecca, you're in charge while I'm gone, and those girls behind you need to be trained into Knights."

"You're replacing them already?" Rebecca asked offended.

"When a pyramid of power crumbles, it shows how weak the leader was. Do I look like a weak leader to you?" Mira asked looking at Rebecca evenly.

"No, you don't." Rebecca said shaking her head.

"Good, now train them." Mira said getting up and walking out with Serenity.

"What was that about?" Serenity asked as they went to the room where they kept all of their burglary supplies.

"A test, a test that she reacted the same way as she always does to. We're in some deep shit, Serenity." Mira said placing her hands against a table and sighing.

"You have suspects?" Serenity asked uneasily.

"Yes, one is highly unlikely, but still has motive. The other two are deeper in my web, and I can control one to some extent. We need some insight from an outside source on this. We just need some clue, one little hint to push us in the right direction, and I have a feeling that that could help us." Mira stressed.

"Well, until we receive such help, we should focus on tonight's grab." Serenity said.

"Right." Mira said looking over the tools on the table.

"Mira, I'll set up, you go take a nap." Serenity ordered but made it sound like a suggestion.

"Fine, one hour, that's it." Mira conceded. She was dead tired anyway. It wouldn't help them if she fell asleep tonight on such an important and illegal grab of merchandise.

"I suppose that's good enough for now." Serenity agreed.

[Yugi]

Yugi's head nodded as he stared at the book before him. His eyes were drooping, and he had read the same sentence five times now. Rubbing his face, Yugi tried to fight the sleep away. He knew taking that break at lunch to play a round of pool with Atem was a bad idea. Sure, he had won, but it was still bad idea as he lost precious studying time for his Physics pre-final test. It was a good thing he had an A/B schedule or he didn't know what he would do. He had Sociology and Physics on A days, and Pre-Calculus and Honors English on B days. Sometimes being highly intelligent had its downfalls, like the amount of work you received in classes. Rubbing his face again, Yugi tried to at least finish the paragraph before calling it a day.

He ended up finishing the rest of the chapter, but couldn't for the life of him, remember what it was about. Giving up, Yugi got ready for bed, and set his alarm clock, that he had picked up from his house that morning as well, for an hour earlier than he usually got up. So he could try to read the chapter and retain the information. If not, he would cram during lunch. Yugi switched off the light and fell asleep almost instantly. Almost being the key word, as his door opened the minute he had turned off the light, the hall light shining brightly in his face.

"Hey, we're hungry and were wondering when you're going to cook din-. Are you sleeping?" Atem changed the course of his words as looked at Yugi tucked into bed all comfy and snug like.

"I was about to." Yugi complained throwing off the covers and meandering into the kitchen. He pulled out chicken, pepper, salt, olive oil, garlic powder, frozen mixed veggies, Pillsbury crescent rolls, and four cheese flavored noodles. Taking out a pot, a pan, a bowl, and a baking tray, Yugi got to work.

Pouring a tablespoon of oil into the pan Yugi heated it up as he filled the pot with water and heated the oven to 350 degrees. Yugi threw the chicken into the pan and sprinkled it with pepper, salt, and garlic powder. He turned on the timer for five minutes and waited for one side of the chicken to cook, as he opened the rolls and placed them on the tray. Next he dumped the mixed veggies into a bowl and left them there as he poured the noodles into the pot of now boiling water. Pouring roughly a tablespoon of water into the bowl of mixed veggies, Yugi covered it and left it sitting on the counter until it was needed. Stirring the noodles, Yugi put the powdered cheese in it and stirred it in thoroughly. Taking it off the burner, Yugi put the mixed veggies in the microwave. Stuffing the crescent rolls in the oven Yugi turned over the chicken and set the timer for five minutes again. Now all he had to do was wait for everything to get done.

The mixed veggies went off first, so Yugi took it out of the microwave drained them of the excess water, and placed them on the table with a spoon. Next the noodles were done but cool, but it was to be expected as they had to cool to for the sauce to thicken. He put the noodles in a bowl and placed them on the table with a fork. Yugi took the chicken out of the pan next and put it on a paper plate at the same time that the rolls were done. Pulling the rolls out of the oven with a hot pad, Yugi turned everything off as he scooped one roll after another into a small dish. Placing both chicken and rolls on the table Yugi called the others as he got out the paper plates and silverware and set the table. Huffing Yugi made his way out of the kitchen, as everyone walked in.

"Yugi aren't you eating?" Atem asked concerned.

"No, because it's 10:09 pm, and I ate _hours_ ago." Yugi said explained annoyed.

"Why didn't you tell the rest of us?" Marik asked.

"I did, you said you weren't hungry!" Yugi cried in anger.

"Oh yeah." Marik said looking away.

"Oh yeah, he says." Yugi mumbled moving out of the room again.

"Well, why don't you just sit with us?" Atem suggested.

"No!" Yugi yelled slamming his door.

He really should have known that Atem wouldn't be avoided that easily. As Yugi climbed into bed, Atem opened his door and marched in turning his light back on. Yugi squinted up at him at the sudden intrusion of light.

"Either sit with us, or I'll drag you out of here and make you sit with us." Atem said looking down at Yugi with eyes that expected to be obeyed. Yugi really didn't want to deal with this.

"You have more mood swings than a girl." Yugi muttered as he climbed back out of bed. He drudged towards the kitchen, dragging his feet, going as slowly as he was possibly allowed.

Yugi sat down at the table and immediately put his head down on the table and tried to get some shut eye. Technically, he was sitting with them, so Atem surely couldn't have any complaints, could he? Apparently he could.

"Sit up, back straight." Atem commented as he sat down in his chair. Yugi did so, and it wasn't soon after that his head was nodding on his chest.

"So Yugi how's school?" Atem asked randomly. Yugi looked at him with bleary eyes.

"Why do you care?" he asked confused.

"I'm not allowed to care about someone placed in my care?" Atem asked popping a piece of chicken in his mouth and chewing it.

"Not when that person usually has ulterotive, ulterrier, ul-ter-i-or, motives involved." Yugi said struggling to get the word out in his partially asleep state.

"I don't always have ulterior motives, just most of the time." Atem tried to reassure him.

"I may love you, but I don't trust you." Yugi said without thinking. Atem's head snapped up at the statement, thinking he had heard wrong.

"Come again?" the air was stiff anticipation and confusion.

"What?" Yugi asked closing his eyes and yawing.

"Yugi!" Atem yelled making Yugi jump and open his eyes slightly.

"Mm, what?" Yugi whined clearly just wanting to go to sleep.

"What did you just say?" Atem stressed.

"I don't know, what did I just say?" Yugi said leaning his hand against his hand, and closing his eyes again.

"That you may love Atem, but you don't trust him." Marik supplied.

Yugi's eyes snapped open as he stared across the kitchen at nothing for a few seconds. Then his eyes drifted over to Atem and the rest of them, before taking his arm off the table and looking down at his lap. A very red blush was creeping up his neck and covering his face.

"I'm awake." Yugi said in a horrified voice.

**We have three orders of business to attend to, first off!  
If you're being harassed by Regulator in your stories, know that I am truly sorry for this. Regulator is acting like a screaming four year old child who's throwing a tantrum because they've been told they can't have something. You, my readers, are, unfortunately, like children being dragged through the mud in a custody battle between two parents. If you no longer want to read my story because of Regulator's harassment, know that I will not hold it against you and completely understand. Next business!  
If any of you noticed, I accidentally made Yugi's Father in the last chapter nine years old. It's fixed now, and he's 29 not nine. Last bit of business!  
It's came up, will there be a lemon? Well, that's up to all of you. If there's a lemon the ending will be tragic, and if there isn't it will just be awful. So, what's more important to you? A lemon with a tragic ending, or no lemon with an awful ending? The choice is yours! You decide! Thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Also, thanks to everyone who have/are favorited/following this story. Please review. Midnight ;p**


	21. Worried

**Phew, some how I still managed to finish this in time. In any case I do not own Yugioh or Cadillac, enjoy!**

Chapter 20

"So what does that mean?" Atem asked.

"It was an errant comment from a sleep deprived mind." Yugi said praying his blush would go away.

"And people are most honest when they unaware of their words." Atem countered.

"Which is why now is a great time to go for a jog." Yugi said getting up determined to get out of the kitchen.

"At ten o'clock at night? I don't think so." Atem said grabbing his wrist and all but throwing him back into his chair.

"I have to go to the bathroom?" Yugi tried

"That's the most pathetic lie I've ever heard." Atem spat out.

"I need to time to think." Yugi said quietly.

"Do you?" Atem asked. Yugi looked away from him towards the back door in the kitchen. Atem grabbed his chin and brought him to look back into his eyes.

"Yugi, do you?" Atem asked again.

Yugi looked away from him for a moment. Did he need time to think, or was it just another excuse to hide his embarrassment? Glancing back at Atem, he had his answer.

"Yes." Yugi said shoving away Atem's hand and getting up. Instead of going out into the hallway like Atem expected, Yugi bolted out the back door. Atem cursed running to the back door. Looking out though, Yugi was nowhere in sight.

[Yugi]

Yugi bolted out the back door and immediately ducked behind the dumpster. When he heard the door close, he took off for the park. He didn't slow down until he reached a bench near the middle of the park. Sitting down, he put his head in his hands and contemplated what had just happened.

In his sleep deprived state he had confessed to Atem. Now the older man probably wasn't going to leave him alone until he said it again. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't repeat his words, and he couldn't lie either. He leaned his head back against the bench and closed his eyes, unaware that he had been joined on the bench until the person spoke up.

"What brings you out here, Shrimp?" Yugi jumped and turned to the person.

"Oh, hey Satake." Yugi said nervously.

"Gonna answer my question?"

"Are you going to beat me up if I don't?"

"Well, you are overdue." Satake joked.

"Yeah." Yugi agreed smirking slightly.

"But that was never really my department. I was a look out if I recall. So what are you doing out here so late?" Satake said smiling before bringing the conversation back to his question.

"I needed to think."

"About?" Satake pushed.

"Do you really care?" Yugi asked skeptically.

"No, but I've got nothing better to do right now. So spill."

"I admitted to Atem that I love him in a sleep deprived state of mind."

"Well do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Love him?"

"Yes, _a_ _lot_." Yugi stressed.

"Than what's the problem?"

"I highly doubt he feels the same for me."

"Have you asked him?"

"No, I kind of ran away." Yugi admitted sheepishly.

"Well, if you never asked, how do you know?"

"If asked him that, it would be like admitting to my own words directed at him."

"Well how do you think he feels about you?"

"That I'm just a booty call."

"Yugi, I saw the way he watched you walk away at the last meeting. Believe me, you're not a just a booty call." Satake assured while snorting at such a suggestion.

"How did he watch me?" Yugi asked surprised and confused at the same time.

"Like he wanted nothing more than to grab you and drag you home with him."

"And that doesn't seem like a booty call to you?" Yugi asked in disbelief.

"Okay, maybe I worded that wrong. He looked like he didn't want to let you go." Satake said looking away before looking back at Yugi.

"I can only think of one reason why."

"Yeah?"

"He wants a piece of my fine ass." Yugi said with no humor and unsmiling features. Satake blinked at him in shock.

"You swore." Satake said in an incredulous tone.

"Surprising isn't it? Considering I usually don't condone to such language." Yugi replied smirking.

"Yugi, I think you're wrong. If you want to know anything about how Atem may or may not feel about you, talk to Marik Crazyee. He and Atem have been tight for much longer than I've been alive. If anyone knows how Atem feels about you, it's him." Satake said getting up off the bench.

"You have somewhere to be?" Yugi asked looking up at him.

"Yeah, I have to get home." Satake said starting to walk away.

"You know Satake; you're a lot nicer without a posse." Yugi said getting up as well.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." Satake said exiting the park in the corner that his territory laid.

Yugi checked his watch and saw that it was nearly midnight, so much for a good night's rest. Atem was probably hounding the neighborhood looking for him too. What to do? Stay here and possibly get found and chewed out by Atem? Or go home and wait for him there in his nice comfy and cozy bed? Possibly avoid him in the morning too, and then just face him when he got home? He liked the last two ideas, as he headed for Atem's territory. Yugi slipped into the labyrinth of alleyways, and disappeared into the night.

He was lucky he left when he did, coming around the corner was a black Cadillac, and its occupant got out to scour the park for him. Upon not finding him there either Atem got back into his Cadillac and drove off. He had checked the school, library front steps because the library had been closed, his clubs, now the park, and the kid wasn't _anywhere_. Where the hell did he _go_?

Yugi snuck into the quiet warehouse and went to his room. Shutting the door quietly behind him, he climbed into bed and quickly fell asleep.

Yugi felt as if he had shut his eyes for only minutes before his alarm was blaring at him to get up. Turning it off Yugi quickly and quietly got ready for school. Skipping breakfast, Yugi made his way out of the warehouse, sneaking past Otogi's sleeping form on one of the couches, Yugi slipped out and headed off to school. Either the rest of them were still out looking for him, or he was going to be in major trouble when he got home.

[Atem]

_"__He's not here Atem." Marik said over the phone._

"So you mean to tell me he just dropped off the face of the earth?"

_"__I don't know but he's not home, yours or his."_

"Well, it's 7:38 and school has started. If he's not at that school his friends are going to be coming to me looking for him. What the hell am I supposed to tell them? That Yugi ran out last night, and no one's seen or heard from him since? I'm sure that'll go over well don't you?"

_"__The truth is never an easy thing to believe or share." _

"Wake up everyone. I want my Servants combing the streets for him. Hell, call Kaiba, because I swear if Yugi Hikari Mutou is at school, I'm gonna _kill_ him when he gets out. No, wait, I'll call Kaiba, you wake up everyone else."

Atem hung up on Marik before he could protest and dialed Kaiba's cell. He waited for three rings before Kaiba's voice mail came on. Atem's message for him was anything but pleasant.

"Kaiba, this is Atem. Mutou ran off last night, if he's there at school let him know that he better pick up some bandages on his way home, because I'm going to be giving him a lesson he won't soon forget."

Atem shut his phone and threw it into the back seat as he waited for someone to call him back. Five minute later his phone pinged signaling that he had gotten a text message. No one texted him, so who had the nerve to do it now? Reaching into the back seat, he retrieved his phone. Flipping it open, he should have been asking who was cowardly enough to text him as an unknown number flashed across the screen. Opening the message there were only two words, but it was enough to make Atem want to throw his phone out the window.

_At school._

Howling in rage, Atem speed dialed Marik. Marik picked up on the first ring, and waited for Atem to speak.

"I found him." Atem growled out into the receiver before hanging up again. Throwing the car into drive, he raced towards the school. Atem screeched to a halt out in front of it, and turned off the car. Atem had every intention of waiting out here for Yugi until the end of the day. He should probably call Kaiba to tell him to forget the first message, but with how angry he was he just didn't feel like it.

[Lunch time]

_"__Kaiba, this is Atem. Mutou ran off last night, if he's there at school let him know that he better pick up some bandages on his way home, because I'm going to be giving him a lesson he won't soon forget."_

The table was silent as Atem's words from Kaiba's phone hung in the still air. Did Atem really expect him to go home _now_ with those words replaying in his head? Everyone was looking at Yugi in horror, wondering what he was going to do.

"Does anyone want to let me crash at their place tonight?" Yugi finally choked out.

"The longer you avoid my cousin Yugi, the angrier he _will_ become." Kaiba reminded.

"You sure he doesn't need time to calm down?" Yugi said uneasily rubbing the back of his neck.

"We'll come with you of course." Honda assured.

"Yeah, we won't let him follow up on his words." Jou put in.

"If he wants to lay a violent hand on you, than he's going to have to get past us." Malik said laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry Yugi; we're here for you, no matter what." Ryou said clapping a hand on his other shoulder.

"If my cousin wants to harm you, he's going to have more than just us standing in his way. I'm calling Mira." Kaiba said speed dialing here. He probably would have gone over to her table, but she hadn't been seen in school in weeks. So talking to her in person was impossible.

"Hello, Serenity. Where's Mira?"

"Well, I understand that, it's just that I-."

"Well, Atem Sennen is threatening to beat up Yugi Mutou. Is that important enough?"

"Yes, you did hear me correctly."

"Why can't Mira come?"

"Oh, I see."

"Okay, so we'll see you by the school gates by the end of school?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he was waiting out in front for Yugi right now."

"I shall see you then." Kaiba concluded hanging up as well.

"I take it my little sister is coming instead of Mira?" Jou asked as soon as Kaiba hung up.

"Yeah, apparently Mira is too stressed out to deal with trivial matters and has left them to Serenity." Kaiba responded.

"I'm considered to be trivial?" Yugi asked frowning.

"With everything else that she apparently has going on, yes Yugi, you are." Kaiba said dialing Atem next.

"Don't call him." Yugi said.

"Hm?" Kaiba asked confused.

"Don't call, Atem." Yugi clarified. Kaiba shut his phone just as it started to ring.

"Why not?" Kaiba asked.

"Anything you have to say to him can be said later." Yugi said getting up and dumping his uneaten food in the trash and walking out of the lunch room.

"Does anyone else feel as if we're missing something?" Ryou asked.

"Yeah, but what is the question." Malik responded.

[In the hallway]

"Yugi?" Ryou asked coming up quietly behind him.

Yugi was sitting underneath his locker staring at the wall across from him. He glanced at Ryou as he sat down next to him, but that was the only signal he gave to show he acknowledged his presence. Ryou sat silently next to Yugi for a few minutes before he asked his question.

"What's bothering you?"

"I told you Atem that I loved him last night." Yugi said quietly half hoping that Ryou didn't hear him. He should have known better, Ryou didn't have a problem with his hearing.

"What did he say?" Ryou asked. Yugi looked at him, that wasn't the response he had been expecting.

"He asked me to repeat what I had said."

"Did you?"

"No, I ran off instead." Yugi admitted shamefully.

"I think you and Atem need to talk alone without anyone else present." Ryou said quietly.

"But do I have the courage to face him alone?"

"Only you can answer that, Yugi." Ryou said getting up and walking away.

[Outside the school]

Atem rolled down the window of his car as she came walking up to the school gates. He had been sitting here for the entire school day, and now Serenity was showing up at the end of the day? What was the point, when the school day was practically over? Curiosity getting the best of him, Atem got out of his Cadillac, and walked over to her.

"Why bother coming at the end of the day, Serenity?" Atem asked her.

"There were concerns about your presence here." Serenity responded smiling in anything but a friendly way. If anything she looked highly annoyed and angry to see him here.

"What's got you twisted into knots?" Atem asked offended by her attitude.

"I have better things to do with my time than play counselor Atem." she ground out.

"I'm lost." He confessed.

"It's really none of my business what's going on between you and Yugi."

"You're right, it's not."

"But when you threaten his well being, that's when it becomes my business. When it becomes _Mira's_ business." Serenity continued like she hadn't even heard him. Atem close his eyes and sighed.

"I knew I should have told Kaiba to ignore the first message. He ran off last night, Yugi disappeared, and I was out of my mind with worry." Atem defended reopening his eyes.

"So you show you care by threatening beat him up? Oh, Atem, I'm jealous at the concern you show for others." Serenity said sarcastically.

"Funny." Atem sneered.

"I highly doubt Yugi is going to be walking out of this school alone. Not only that, but I don't think that _any_ _one_ of his friends is going to let him get into that car alone with you. They'd rather jump off a cliff before they allow it." Serenity explained to him in an aggravated tone.

"I really don't care what any of you think, because when Yugi comes out of that building he is getting in my car, even if I have to force him into it, and I'm driving off with him." Atem said talking down to her.

"Do you really expect to intimidate me?" Serenity asked glaring up at him.

"Atem."

Atem look up and behind Serenity. There standing little more than three feet away was Yugi. Behind him was his friends, and the rest of the school was walking out through the other gates on the sides of the building. Yugi was glaring at Atem in a way that Yugi had never looked at him before. If he didn't know better, he'd have said that the kid was growing a back bone.

"Yugi, I've been looking for you." Atem said trying to walk around Serenity only to have her step in his way.

"We're not done talking, Atem."

"Yugi seems to think we are." Atem said looking back down at her.

"Leave her alone Atem. Your quarrel is with me." Yugi said taking a few steps forward. Atem slid his eyes back to Yugi.

"Are you only brave with your friends behind you, Yugi?" Atem asked looking at him evenly.

"No, because I've faced many times when my friends haven't been around to protect me, and I've had to protect myself. Now happens to be one of those times." Yugi said as he walked right past them and hopped into Atem's car.

"If he isn't returned in one piece, you're going to have to answer to all of us." Kaiba said looking at Atem.

"You don't have to worry; I don't think I could actually harm something so beautiful anyway." Atem said looking towards his car where Yugi had disappeared.

Walking over, Atem opened his door and got in. The two sat in the car for a few minutes in silence, before Atem started the car and rolled his window back up. Atem looked over at Yugi to see him staring determinedly ahead of him. Atem put the car into drive and pulled away from the curb.

"Let's take a drive, shall we?" Atem asked rhetorically driving off.

**Huh, you guys surprise me as much as I surprise you sometimes. Lemon ending it is. I'm still writing out the alternate ending though, regardless of your decision. After all what fun would it be if you guys didn't see what your other choice could have led to, hmmm? Thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Also, thanks to everyone who are/have following/favorited this story. Please review. Midnight ;p**


	22. A job half done

**I'm having slight troubles writing chapters right now, so they're going to be slow coming for a while. Sorry, but this means I won't be updating as often as you're used to. Right, I do not own Yugioh or Lamborghini, enjoy! Oh, and there's a bit of a lemon in here. _Now_ enjoy.  
**

Chapter 21

Atem turned off the car and got out, expecting Yugi to follow him. Naturally he didn't, instead he took the path down to the beach, and sat down at the edge of where the waves were rolling onto the shore. Both had been quiet the entire car trip. Atem didn't want to say anything for fear of his anger getting the best of him. Yugi, well he either didn't want to provoke him or had just been thinking quietly. How was he supposed to know, really, he couldn't read the kid's mind?

Atem looked out over the beach line as he surveyed the area. It was far enough on the outskirts of Domino that the likely hood of them being disturbed was slim, but it was also close enough that Yugi could find his way home if Atem just left him out here to find his own way back.

Sighing, Atem followed him down and sat next to him. He didn't even know where to begin. Vent out his frustrations with the kid now, or question his stupidity for running away at ten o'clock at night last night. He didn't get a chance to do either as Yugi spoke up first.

"How do you feel about me?" Yugi asked quietly his voice barely being heard over the roar of the waves.

"What kind of question is that?" Atem asked without thinking about how it sounded.

"A stupid one apparently." Yugi said getting up.

"Don't, don't go." Atem said grabbing his wrist and yanking him back down to the sandy floor.

"How do you feel about me?" Yugi asked again stressing the question.

"Why does it matter how I feel about you?" Atem asked avoiding the question.

"We can't move forward in a relationship if I don't know that you feel the same as I do."

"A relationship? Whoever said we were in a relationship?"

"Then what would you call it when two people are continually making out with each other?"

"Lust, and sexual frustrations that need to be vented. I have plenty of ways that we can vent them too. Though, most of them are with you underneath me, screaming my name." Atem said leaning towards Yugi and placing a finger under his chin tilting it up slightly.

"I'm trying to be serious, and you're just being a pig." Yugi scoffed shoving jerking his head away.

"You want to talk about something serious, alright. What the hell were you thinking running out the back door at ten o'clock at night? Do you even know how dangerous my streets are that late at night? For all I knew someone was raping that fine ass of yours." Atem said his anger coming back instantly.

"I highly doubt any of your _precious_ Servants were going to touch me after the orange Lamborghini incident. That one probably spread it around that their _Pharaoh_ had gotten themselves a new toy to play with." Yugi said sneering on some of the words.

"A toy? Oh, Yugi, you're much more than a toy."

"Then what am I to you?" Yugi asked turning to look at him.

"I don't know, but you're different then everyone else I've been with." Atem responded avoiding Yugi's eyes and instead looking out into the distance.

"So you admit that we have some form of a relationship though what that is, is unclear to you?"

"Yes, because I can honestly say that you are the first person to ever talk back to me, on more than one occasion. You're the only person who doesn't seem to be scared of death of me, Yugi. You're the only person I've ever known to deny me what I want." Atem explained, meeting Yug's eyes.

"Well, what do you want?" Yugi asked searching the eyes of the man in front of him for any sort of clue.

"You." Atem said simply leaning in.

Atem was kissing Yugi, pouring his want for the kid into the kiss. Yugi was kissing him back, but when Atem went to deepen the kiss, Yugi made a sound that a half surprised and half moan. Gripping his shoulders, Yugi pushed Atem away. Yugi huffed with both exertion of the kiss and shoving away the man before him.

"Stop that! Stop trying to mess with my head!" Yugi yelled while trying to control his breathing.

"How can a simple kiss mess with your head?" Atem asked smirking at him.

"You'd be surprised when love is involved."

"So you finally admit that you love me."

"Technically I admitted it last night." Yugi responded with no humor in his voice.

"And then avoided the topic when I asked you to repeat what you had said."

"Well I wasn't exactly planning on telling you to begin with, so…" Yugi said looking away as he trailed off.

Yugi was flat on his back on the sandy beach in seconds. His hands trapped on either side of his face, as Atem loomed over him, straddling his waist. Yugi could only blink in the amount of time that he found himself immobile. Atem stared down into Yugi's eyes, noticing that the light from the sun made them a lighter amethyst. Yugi stared right back as he squirmed a little trying to dislodge Atem's position.

"Then why did you?" Atem asked anger leaking into his voice.

"Why are you getting angry?" Yugi asked confused and stopped his squirming.

"Answer the question!" Atem demanded raising Yugi's wrists ever so slightly and slamming them back down on the beach.

"Because I was sleep deprived. Like you said, 'people are most honest when they're unaware of their words.'"

"So if I hadn't of pulled you out of bed, I would have never know of your feelings?"

"Probably not."

Atem growled lowly, as he crashed his lips onto Yugi's, ignoring his protests. Atem kissed him with the same fierceness as a mountain lion, but with the same amount of passion as a dancer. Yugi eventually gave up his meager struggles and gave in, kissing him back with the same if not more passion. Yugi had the passion of love; Atem had the passion of a hungry need and want. Atem broke the kiss, and placed feather light kisses on his jaw line right below his ear.

"I can seduce any one I want, Yugi." Atem whispered, transferring one of his wrists into one of Atem's hands. Atem held the wrist above Yugi's head in an X-like hold. He moved his free hand down to Yugi's pants, his hand brushing the slight bulge he found there.

"You don't seem to be an exception to this." Atem said smirking against Yugi's skin as the kid whined with need. With his head falling back further revealing his neck even more for Atem.

"Please." Yugi whined.

"Please what?" Atem asked. He had a feeling what Yugi was going to say but he wasn't going to let him say it if he could help it.

"Please d-d-d-do." Yugi tried to say but was caught instead in gasping for air as Atem rubbed his hand more vigorously against the bulge cutting off his words. The bulge becoming harder with each rub it was subjected to.

"You were saying?" Atem asked smirking as he placed a kiss against Yugi's Adam's apple.

"N-not here, not in the open." Yugi gasped out.

"So modest." Atem chuckled out as he lifted Yugi into his arms and carried him up to the car.

Atem opened the back door of the car and put Yugi inside, climbing on top of him while shutting the door. He hovered above Yugi, taking in the sight of him. Yugi was panting softly, as he lay there sprawled for Atem. Atem leaned down and kissed Yugi, while undoing his pants with his hands. Yugi pulled away from the heated kiss face flushed and gasping.

"N-not all the way."

"You sure? I can make it enjoyable for you." Atem said tracing his jaw line with his finger as he paused in relieving Yugi of his pants.

"No doubt, but not ready." Yugi gasped out while trying to hold back a moan as Atem rubbed his bulge again.

"Fine, but I'm still going to get some enjoyment out of this." Atem said hooking his fingers into Yugi's pants and briefs at the same time and pulling them down releasing Yugi's penis from the clothing.

Yugi gasped as the cold air hit his penis, and Atem stared at Yugi's beautiful erection. He wasn't huge, but he wasn't small either. He was decent sized for his body type. Atem stared for a few moments more before blowing on the tip gently. Yugi gasped as the warm air mixed with the cold on his nearly hard erection.

Atem placed kisses up and down it before taking it in his mouth, making Yugi jerk his hips up at the sudden heat. Atem didn't mind as he deep throated Yugi, he didn't even gag on Yugi. He only laughed making Yugi shiver at the feeling.

Atem started to suck gently on Yugi, making the kid moan at the feeling. It was pure music to his ears, as he sucked harder on him. Almost as if he was begging him to release. Yugi jerked his hips up again, this time hitting Atem's gag reflex, so he moved his hands to hold his hips down, in case the kid tried to do it again. Atem sucked a few more times, and could almost feel Yugi's explosion of passion about to hit.

"Atem…I can't." Yugi gasped feeling as if he was about to explode at the treatment he was receiving.

Atem only hummed, sending Yugi over the edge and spilling into his waiting mouth, screaming out his name in the process. Atem swallowed Yugi's seed, sucking and licking any bit he might have missed. When Atem was sure he had gotten every bit, he released Yugi from his mouth, his now limp penis falling back in place.

"You sure you don't want to go all the way with me?" Atem asked looking at Yugi's still dazed expression. Yugi grabbed a fist full of Atem's shirt and yanked him back down.

"When you can tell me how you feel about me, then we'll have sex." Yugi whispered half ragged into his ear. Atem simply smirked before leaning up towards him again.

Atem kissed him on the mouth, his tongue pushing through his weak defenses into the moist cavern. Pulling Yugi's pants and briefs up he zipped and buttoned them. Once Atem was sure Yugi had come down from his high, he pulled back so they both could breath.

"I may never know I how I feel about you, Yugi." Atem said looking down at Yugi's flushed form.

"Then I guess you're never getting sex." Yugi said smirking slightly pushing him away and attempting to sit up.

"I will get sex from you Yugi, one way or another." Atem said huskily.

"So if I don't concede you're just going to take it?" Yugi asked looking at him from the corner of his eyes.

"No, I'll just seduce you again." Atem replied staring at him intensely.

"Parlor tricks never work the same way twice, Atem." Yugi said looking away.

"There are no tricks about it. It's more of what one would call a…game." Atem smirked leaning over to whisper it in his ear.

"Then let it begin. I'll crush you in every attempt to get me in bed with you. Unless you want to end the game of course, and just admit your feelings to me." Yugi said pulling back and smiling coyly at him.

"You may be the big KOG, but Marik calls me I'm the King of Seduction. I can get anyone, man or woman into bed with me. You're no different, Yugi." Atem said leaning in slightly.

"We'll see." Yugi replied vaguely pushing him away again and climbing over the seats to sit back in the passenger seat.

"You want to go home already?" Atem asked in disbelief and disappointment.

"I have homework I need to do, Atem."

"What is it with you and your school work?" Atem asked frowning.

"I like straight A's, and no amount of petty competitions is going to divert me from that."

"Petty competition, huh? We'll see how petty you think it is when I win." Atem said getting out of the car and re-entering it on the driver's side.

"And don't _ever_ climb over my seats again." Atem said putting the car into drive and pulling out of the parking lot.

[The warehouse]

"So do you think he's killed Yugi yet?" Malik asked Marik as he sat quite comfortably in his lap.

"He's not going to kill Yugi." Marik tried to assure Malik.

"You didn't see him, Marik, he was really angry."

"As he should have been; if that midget hadn't of runoff I wouldn't be so tired right now, and we could be participating in other activities right now." Marik said blowing off the concern and leering down at him.

"Don't call him that, and why did he run off anyway. What did Atem do?" Malik asked accusingly with narrowed eyes.

"Yugi said he loved Atem, and then ran off right after Atem asked him to repeat what he had said." Marik replied in a bored tone.

"So he was scared." Malik said.

"Yeah, a little; didn't mean he had to runaway." Marik said begrudgingly.

"Yugi always runs when he's scared." Malik responded in a matter of fact tone.

"What?"

"He runs away when he's scared, and he's pretty good at it too, the running I mean. He's pretty fast for someone so short." Malik said as if he was thinking out loud looking towards the doors.

"Atem's faster I bet."

"You should race them one day and find out." Malik said looking back at him with a slight smirk.

"Atem runs the streets in his territory; he doesn't have time to race some random kid for fun."

"You honestly believe Yugi to be some random kid to him?"

"No, but Atem said himself that any relationship with him is a dangerous one. Or something along those lines anyway." Marik replied looking at the door to avoid Malik's eyes.

"And a relationship with you is any different?" Malik asked solemnly looking down at his lap.

"I never said that, I'm just more cautious about who I let know whom I'm in a relationship with. Still it's hard in this day and age, with territory jumpers, to keep it a secret." Marik said lifting his gaze back up to meet him by placing a finger under his chin.

"You chose me, remember?" Malik said looking away.

"True, and what a fine choice you are." Marik said placing both hands on either side of his face and drawing him into a kiss.

Malik moaned into the kiss wrapping his arms around his neck, drawing himself closer. Marik's hands slipped down to around his waist, drawing him fully into his lap. Neither heard nor saw Yugi and Atem walk into the room. Yugi's jaw dropped, he hadn't known that he and Marik were so close. Atem coughed, breaking up the two.

"You do have a bedroom, Marik." Atem said smirking.

"Yugi! You're alive!" Malik cried out jumping up to hug him.

"Yeah, and now I really need to go study for tomorrow's pre-final exams." Yugi said returning the hug.

"I'll join you." Malik said hooking arms with Yugi and the two started to walk away.

"Ah, hello! I thought we were making out here!" Marik yelled at their backs.

"Later." Malik said waving him off.

Malik and Yugi went to Yugi's room and sat down on the bed. Yugi pulled out his homework, and just let it sit there in his lap. He made no move to do it. Instead he looked up at Malik, biting his lip. Malik knew that look, Yugi had something to say, and didn't know how to say it.

"Spill." Malik said simply. Yugi listened and spilled the last thing Malik expected to come out of his mouth.

"Atem gave me a blow job!" Yugi blurted out.

"You let him do that?" Malik asked in shock.

"Yes, and it felt _so_ good."

"Let me guess, you wanted to go further but you were scared?"

"Is that so wrong?"

"No, but you've gotten further with Atem than I have with Marik, that's for sure. Are you sure you're not taking this too fast Yugi? I mean are you going to be having sex with him next week too?" Malik asked concern in his voice.

"No, I already told him that I'm not having sex with him until he tells me how he feels about me."

"You honestly think that that's going to stop him?"

"No." Yugi said after a few seconds of silence.

"Yugi, now that Atem knows you love him." Malik started as Yugi shot him a confused questioning look.

"Marik told me." Malik said to which Yugi rolled his eyes.

"Now that Atem knows you love him, he's going to be using that against you to get what he wants. Atem is one of those guys who will stop at nothing to get what they desire. What he wants from you is obvious to both of us, _sex_." Malik continued on.

"Still doesn't mean he's getting any." Yugi grumbled.

"Are you going to have the will power to stop him though?"

"I don't know." Yugi said honestly.

"Well good luck then!" Malik said clapping him on the shoulder.

"Gee, thanks." Yugi said sarcastically.

Malik just laughed with Yugi joining in.

[Atem]

"So how'd it go?" Marik asked as a way to break the steady silence.

"Are you asking because you really want know, or as a way to break the silence?" Atem asked sitting down in a chair across from him.

"A little of both?" Marik asked like he was unsure himself.

"Well, we talked before I pleasured him." Atem said like it was no big deal.

"So you did the dirty deed already with him? Wow, that's got to be a new record for you."

"Not exactly, we only went half way."

"Since when do you get a job half done, Atem? That doesn't sound like you at all." Bakura asked coming into the room from behind Atem.

"Since I found something worth the challenge." Atem said looking over his shoulder at him.

"Sounds like you're falling for the kid." Bakura said smirking.

"What is it with you two? Sex is not an emotional link with me. It's simply a way to release sexual frustrations."

"Says the guy who only went half way." Marik said.

"Ugh, I don't have to deal with this speculation. I'll be in my room, and you two are on dinner detail." Atem said getting up and walking down the hallway.

"I thought it was Yugi's kitchen?" Marik called after him.

"Only when it needs cleaning." Atem shouted back.

Atem passed by Yugi's room, and heard him and Malik laughing about something. Yugi's voice was beautiful when he was laughing, Atem thought before shaking his head. Was he really falling for the kid? He had never been subjected to love, so he didn't even know what it felt like. His Father had never loved him; perhaps that was why it was so easy for Atem to kill him. Still, Yugi had a point; he needed to figure out his feelings for him. Before the end of the school year too, would be nice. Now that he was thinking about it though, he didn't even know when Yugi's school year ended. He would have to ask the kid later.

**I'll try to get at least one chapter a week out. It won't always be for the same story, but I'll try to get at least one out per week. When I find my flow again, I'll update like normal, promise. Kay, thanks to everyone who are/have following/favorited this story. Also, thanks to everyone who have reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review. Midnight ;p**


	23. A different side

**Whoo! Three updates in one week, I'm back! And I'm blonde, like really really blonde. I cut off all my hair for locks of love and then changed its color. Anyway, I do not own Yugioh or Cadillac, enjoy!**

Chapter 22

Yugi's week had been hell, and he couldn't be any more thankful that it was Saturday. Stretching Yugi sat up in bed, and thought back to what had made this week so horrible. He supposed it had all started with that one question at dinner on Monday night.

_"__So Yugi, when does your school year end?" Atem asked out of the blue._

_"__Uh, in a month." Yugi responded a little confused as to where it had come from._

_"__No it doesn't, it ends in a month and a week." Malik said correcting him._

_"__Yeah, for you, but I'm not failing all of my classes either." Yugi replied smirking at him._

_"__Uh, oh yeah. Everyone who's passing with flying colors gets the last week of school of. Sort of like a good behavior or attendance reward type of thing."Malik explained._

_"__No it's more like a 'I did all my work and studied for my tests' type of reward thing." Yugi said back cheekily._

_"__Know it all." Malik muttered._

_"__Hey, if it helps me get to College and out of this dead end town, I'll take it."Yugi said back._

_"__College? Whoever said anything about College?" Atem asked._

_"__I'm not giving up my scholarship I worked too long and too hard for it."Yugi said getting up and leaving the kitchen abruptly._

_"__Get back here Yugi; we're not done talking about this!" Atem yelled._

_"__And you're not my parent! So stop acting like one!" Yugi shouted right back before slamming his door._

Yugi rubbed his face; the week had only gone downhill from there. Every second of everyday that Yugi was in that place Atem came on to him. It got to the point that he couldn't take it anymore and had just decided to not go back at all last night. He went home, to his real home, to the game shop and slept in his real bed last night.

Yugi sighed as he got out of bed and went to the bathroom and then the kitchen. Yugi had made sure to stop at the market on the way, the one near the school and get a couple of things so he could eat some dinner, breakfast, and lunch if Atem didn't find his hiding spot by then.

Yugi cooked up some eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, steak, and hash browns. After he was done eating his rather large meal, he washed the dishes, dried them and put them away. If he was dragged back to the warehouse by Atem he didn't want to be worrying about dirty dishes in his sink. Getting dressed in high tops, black jeans, a striped black and green Rugby shirt, and baseball cap supporting the Marlins Yugi figured he was ready to go out. He made sure he had his deck on him, the kids liked seeing his 'legendary' cards. Grabbing his light gray vest, Yugi walked out of the house and straight into Atem's open arms.

Well, not literally but his black Cadillac was parked across the street. Tipping his hat to the man, Yugi started the long walk to the Hospital. Ignoring the fact that he was being tailed by the man he most wanted to avoid.

"Where the fuck are you going Mutou?" Atem asked after rolling down his window.

"Aww, do you care? How sweet!" Yugi mocked. Now he knew that this probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but he'd had enough he older man during the week. Sue him for not wanting to put up with him during the weekend too.

"Don't fuck with me Mutou! You were out all last night! You didn't come home, and had me and my entire gang out looking for your ass!" Atem yelled still driving oh so slowly next to him.

"Oh I went home. That's home, home for me!" Yugi yelled right back pausing to point back at the game shop before continuing to walk.

The car came to a halt, but Yugi kept walking. He didn't care if the man got out of his car; he wasn't going to be intimidated by him, not anymore. Yugi heard the car lock behind him, and angry footsteps charging in his direction, but he continued to walk on at the same pace. He didn't speed up or slow down, there was no point the man would catch up to him either way. His arm was grabbed and he was spun around and slammed against a wall. Yugi winced slightly, but otherwise showed no signs that it had hurt.

"Fucking talk to me! Where the hell are you going?" Atem screamed in his face.

"Places." Yugi spat out before attempting to kick the man. Atem saw it coming though and jumped out of the way before it could strike him. Yugi gave him a sneering look before walking on again.

"If you don't fucking tell me where you are going I'm just going to follow you." Atem said behind him.

"Oh, whatever will I do? Is that supposed to scare me? Are you supposed to scare me?" Yugi mocked before becoming serious.

"Apparently I _used_ to scare you. Whatever happened to that scared little boy?" Atem asked jogging up to him and walking backwards in front of him.

Yugi stopped walking and just smiled at him. Atem stopped too, slightly confused. Yugi walked up to him; keeping eye contact he walked right up to him and slid his small hand up against his right cheek.

"Oh, Atem." Yugi said sweetly.

"Yes?" He asked leaning in slightly towards Yugi.

_SMACK!_

"Your kitchen is scarier than you!" Yugi spat brushing past him as he held his cheek in shock.

"What the hell was that for?" Atem asked rounding on him.

"This week! I failed three of my tests because of you!" Yugi hissed in anger at him.

"And that's my fault how?" Atem asked. Yugi stopped and stomped back to him screaming and spitting in his face the entire time.

"I couldn't study! You were everywhere that I was! I couldn't take it anymore! It's like the words I have to study, leave me alone, go away, and FUCK YOU flies right over your head! So help me Atem if you make this week a living hell too, I'm moving out to save my grades and there is nothing you can do or say to stop me!" Yugi finished and started to walk down the sidewalk again.

"Then how about a sentence? What about Mira?" Atem asked watching Yugi freeze thinking he had him.

"She can go to hell with you." Yugi said over his shoulder before walking again. He felt as if he was never going to make it to the Hospital.

"What? Yugi, you don't mean that." Atem said grabbing his shoulder and turning him around.

"Yes I do. Being her treaty piece was the worst decision I've ever made. You're sending my grades into a spiraling pit and you don't care. That scholarship is all I have left of my Grandpa, and you're taking it away from me." Yugi said his voice cracking at the end.

"Yugi, I'm sorry, I didn't know." Atem said trying to draw him into a hug.

"Don't touch me!" Yugi shouted pushing him away. Yugi gave him a look of contempt before running off. He heard Atem chasing after him but didn't care Yugi could see the Hospital, he could see his goal. Yugi burst into the reception area huffing and panting form his run.

"Yugi, is something the matter?" A woman asked him thinking her name to be Alexis. She used to work for Kaiba before she quit as the job was too stressful.

"No, I just felt like running so I could get here sooner. I was wondering if I could see the Leukemia kids, I know they could always use visitors." He said cheerfully even though he was feeling like anything but.

"Of course, they'll be overjoyed to see you. I'm not so sure about him though." Alexis said her eyes sliding to the right behind him.

"Yugi, what are you doing in a Hospital? Are you injured or something?" Atem asked from behind him not sounding winded at all. Yugi spun around to face him.

"Well as it happens this arrogant leader of a local gang saw fit to bug me all week and never me leave alone. I think I'm going insane." Yugi said earning a quiet giggle from Alexis behind him.

"Funny." Atem growled out.

Yugi shrugged while smirking before turning to head to the elevator. Pushing the up button he waited for it to arrive. Atem leaned up against a wall and waited with him. When the elevator arrived they rode up in it quietly to the 11th floor. Yugi got out taking an immediate right, hearing Atem follow him. Yugi figured that he either wasn't letting him out of his sight today, or he was legitimately curious about where he was going. Yugi turned the corner and threw open the doors to the Leukemia center.

"Hey kids, how are you doing?" Yugi asked with a bright smile.

"YUGI!" a shout of about 20 or so kids rang out. There was a stampede of feet coming from down the hallways before they all froze about two feet away from him. Yugi was slightly surprised, he had crouched down and everything, arms wide open to receive them, and not one of them ran into his arms. Instead they were all looking intensely behind him.

"Yugi you brought an evil person with you." A little girl named Zara said pointing above and behind him. Yugi glanced over his shoulder his arms resting on his knees. There Atem stood in all his annoyed and bored glory.

"Him? Nah, he's really just like a big teddy bear inside."Yugi lied through his teeth.

"Excuse me?" Atem questioned. Yugi motioned for the kids to come closer. They did, if albeit reluctantly.

"In fact, I think the only reason he even followed me up here was to give everyone piggyback rides." Yugi whispered.

"Really?" a few kids whispered back their eyes lighting up.

"Absolutely." Yugi whispered back looking at Atem slyly over his shoulder.

"Yugi, what are you telling them?" Atem asked looking a little concerned.

"So who wants to go first?" Yugi asked in a louder voice standing up.

"Me. Me. Me. Me. Me." a number of hands shot up into the air. Yugi closed his eyes and reached out and grabbed one. It was a small girl. Yugi recognized her as Daniela from his last visit, she looked even worse now than she did before.

"Hey Atem, turn around." Yugi said picking up the girl gently.

"Why?" he asked suspicious.

"Just do it." Yugi said slowly edging closer to him.

Still looking at him with suspicious eyes, Atem slowly faced his back to Yugi. Yugi immediately seized his chance and gently placed the girl on his back. Yugi was surprised when Atem's arms automatically shot out to support her small bottom. Daniela wrapped her fragile arms around his thick neck.

"Careful with her, she's breakable." Yugi stood on his tiptoes to whisper in his ear.

"So I'm a horse now?" Atem asked slightly amused as he looked down at Yugi.

"If you're going to be here, you've gotta entertain. Giddy up!" Yugi said back giving his behind a firm smack.

"How many kids are there here?" Atem asked as he 'cantered' around the room.

"65." A nurse answered.

Yugi's smile fell slightly, that was two less kids than last time. It made him wonder who it was and if they had family or not. If not, it would have been the Hospital staff who mourned them. Still, death happened every day, it was one of those things that was unavoidable; Yugi knew that better than anyone. Yugi felt a tug on his vest and looked down. A small boy was trying to get his attention. Yugi bent down so he could hear whatever the kid wanted.

"Um, do you have your deck on you? And if so can I see Kuriboh please? He's my favorite monster." He asked in a small shy voice reminding Yugi a little of himself when he was that age.

"Of course you can. What's your name?" Yugi asked sitting down on the ground and pulling out his deck. Immediately a group of kids crowded around him.

"I'm Neville and I turned six yesterday." He said sitting by Yugi's knee.

"Oh, well happy belated birthday Neville." Yugi said gracing him with a genuine smile.

"Thanks." He said biting his lip and ducking his head making Yugi let out a little chuckle at his shyness.

"Wait, how come you get sit and I get to give kids piggyback rides?" Atem complained as he loaded up the third kid to take a ride on his back.

"Cause Yugi said that was the only reason you followed him." a child named Tony said.

"He did, did he?" Atem asked giving Yugi a look that clearly said he was going to pay. Yugi just gave him a big grin.

"Yep! And everyone knows that Yugi never lies!" Stella joined in.

"You sure about that?" Atem asked looking at her.

"Of course she is! Yugi is our idol, and he would never lie to us!" Damien defended her.

"Are you trying to insinuate that I would lie to little kids Atem? Little _sick_ kids?" Yugi asked placing a hand over his heart like he was hurt while showing the Kuriboh card to Neville with his other.

"No of course not, that would be ridiculous." He said sarcastically.

"Yugi, what does insinuate mean?" Enida asked.

"Insinuate means to suggest something in a sly way." Yugi answered her.

"You said he wasn't mean!" Kyle shouted.

"Be careful Atem, you're not being seen in a favorable light here." Yugi warned wagging his finger at him playfully.

"Well, if Yugi over there said I wasn't mean, clearly he lied to you. He can tell you all sorts of stories on just how mean I can be." Atem said smirking at Yugi. Yugi was unfazed as a child jumped up to defend him.

"Nuh-uh! You're just being mean to make Yugi look like a liar! You're doing it on purpose!" Arabella accused.

"What?" Atem said in disbelief looking over her head at Yugi. Yugi raised a finger and twirled it behind the children's heads while mouthing 'wrapped around my finger' at him. Atem retaliated by sticking out his tongue which made Yugi howl with laughter.

"Oh yes, that's very mature Atem!"

"Can I see the Dark Magician Girl Yugi?" Cassandra asked tapping his knee.

"Of course." Yugi said looking away from Atem to smile down at her.

"Want to see the Dark Magician Girl disappear?" Atem asked letting the child off his back to walk towards Yugi. Yugi pulled the Dark Magician Girl out and held it up for the girl to see.

"Huh?" Yugi asked as Atem snatched it from his hand and doing a couple of quick hand movements the card did indeed disappear before his eyes. There was a collective gasp around him.

"He knows magic!" a couple of kids stated.

"The DMG better come back real quick and real soon." Yugi said warningly.

"Why?" Atem asked looking at him.

"Because there is no way I can have Dark Magician without a Dark Magician Girl. Sorry but it just doesn't work that way, not with me." Yugi said whipping out his favorite card off the top of the deck without even looking at it.

"Wanna see him disappear too?" Atem asked grinning.

"No, I do not want him to disappear; I want you to make the DMG reappear." Yugi said drawing the card in close to him before it really did disappear on him to. Magical hats was the only time that he wanted to see his Dark Magician disappear. No other time did he ever want to see his favorite card hidden from sight.

"Alright, what's your name kid?" Atem asked sitting next to Cairen.

"It's Cairen." He said.

"Well, Cairen, you have something of Yugi's stuck in your hair." Atem said looking Yugi directly in the eye whilst pulling his card out of the kid's soft blonde hair.

"Again!" he exclaimed with a hand in his hair.

"What?" he asked looking away from Yugi and to the child.

"Again! Again! Again! Again!" He cried out overjoyed by the magic trick.

"Well, you have to ask Yugi; after all he wasn't too fond when the card disappeared the first time." Atem said smirking in his direction.

"Hold on." Yugi said snatching his DMG out Atem's hand and putting it back in his deck. Searching through it he found a harmless but cute card called Waterpom and handed that to him. Atem looked at it with a raised eyebrow, and then back up at him.

"Really?"

"What? It's cute!" Yugi said grinning.

"I just can't believe that the King of Games has a Waterpom in his deck." Atem said looking down at it.

"And most people can't believe that I have a Kuriboh either. But if I put my Kuriboh in defense mode and add the magic card multiply with it, it creates quite the defensive force field. You can't destroy my life points if you can't get to me, because even if you do destroy some of the Kuribohs there are always more to take its place." Yugi explained one of his infamous strategies to him.

"Wouldn't that be considered cheating though?" Atem asked confused.

"No that would be called enhancing a weak card with a magic card to make it stronger." Yugi said smiling thinking of how he had tricked Atem into letting him go to College even if the man didn't know it yet.

"Hmm, I wonder if you can apply a trick like that to real life?" Atem said out loud tapping his chin thoughtfully. Oh, you can, Yugi thought in his head.

"Speaking of tricks, when do we get to see another magic one?" Natalie asked tugging on Atem's jacket.

"Right now." He replied making the card disappear. There was a loud cheer followed by clapping when Yugi felt a small hand tug on his vest. Looking down he saw a small boy named Bruno, with some other boys behind him.

"Um, Yugi, Randy, Marcus, Collin, Lewis, Tyler, Sora, Phillip, James, Arron, and I were wondering if you would race us in the hallway?" Bruno asked.

"Of course, we just have to check with your nurses first. They were kind of edgy the last time we up and left without telling them." Yugi said grimacing at the memory of James's and Randy's shrieking nurses.

"Okay!" ten boys chorused together getting up to go find said nurses.

Yugi glanced back over at Atem to see him pulling Waterpom out of Samantha's ear. She giggled and clapped, crying out the word again. Atem's eyes snapped up to meet Yugi's and he looked away embarrassed that he had been caught staring. When he looked over next Atem was looking at him, but instead of looking away like Yugi had he winked. A blush rose to Yugi's face, and he didn't know why. There was absolutely nothing flirtatious about a wink.

"They said yes! Are you okay? You're face is all red." Bruno said frowning.

"I'm fine." Yugi said standing up and looking at their nurses who all nodded that they had given their consent. Yugi lead the way out it to the hall, making sure to grab the stop watch that was hanging on the wall on the way out.

While Yugi was racing the boys against one another, he kept looking inside the glass doors to Atem. One to make sure he didn't actually lose the card and two because he had never seen this side of Atem before. He worked really well with the kids, easily drawing smiles out of them as easily as Yugi could himself. Every time Atem looked up to connect eyes with Yugi though, he would smirk in amusement at catching the boy in staring at him. Yugi would look away and try not to blush, he failed half the time.

It was around three in the afternoon when Atem suggested that they leave. Something about not wanting to be on this side of the streets when night fall came around. Yugi nodded knowing that the Hospital was in Mai's territory, and here streets were the least friendly of all the gangs around here. The most drug abuse, jumps, and rapes happened on her streets. If the rumors were true she was trying to clean them up, and beat the riffraff into submission. No one knew how well it was working as of yet though.

Yugi parted with the kids making sure to give each of them a hug, but not promising to come back. He knew he wouldn't be back, that's why he didn't promise them something he couldn't keep. Instead he just said he would try, he would try to come back. It was safer to say he would try than to make a promise.

Yugi leaned up against Atem as they rode the elevator down to the lobby. Yugi liked this Atem, this Atem that wasn't feeling him up, just holding him a little possessively around the waist. Atem directed Yugi out of the Hospital making sure to keep a tight grip on him, but it was only after they were a few blocks away from the Hospital that things went wrong.

As they were passing a dark alleyway Atem felt someone rip Yugi from his grip in the same moment that he was hit over the back of the head with a heavy object. He tumbled to the ground and tried to keep his eyes open. Being a leader he had to be stronger than most, but right now Yugi needed him, he was crying out for him.

"Atem!" Yugi screamed as elbowed the person in the stomach that had grabbed him and fought past the other two men to get back to him. He was on the ground and wasn't moving from what Yugi could see. Yugi punched the right guy in the face and elbowed the guy on the left in the jugular. Of all the days to leave the gun Atem had given him in the game shop, really how could he be so stupid. Yugi crouched down by Atem's head and shook his shoulder trying to get some response out of him.

"Pretty's got some bite." A voice said gruffly next to his ear hoisting him to his feet. Yugi tried punching the guy in the face but he caught his wrist and tsked at him.

"That's not going to work twice Pretty." He said and Yugi could see a black eye forming on his face. So he kneed him in the groin instead. The reaction was instant as he let go of Yugi's wrist to grab his now aching sack. Yugi spun around only to be caught by one of the other guys.

"That wasn't very nice to do to my buddy. Being a male yourself, you must know how much that hurts?" He mocked right before Yugi punched him in his stomach twice. As he drew back his fist to hit him again, he felt his elbow grabbed and he was yanked off balance. Turning around Yugi was met with a punch in the face.

A couple of weeks ago something like this would have sent him sprawling, but he wasn't the same boy he had been back then, he was stronger now. Yugi retaliated the punch he had received with one to the guy's jugular, making him choke and hack on his own air. That's where it ended, Yugi felt something crash into the back of his head and his lights flickered out, but not before he heard what they said about him.

"I like a little fight in the victims, Pretty here sure is going to be a wild ride."

"Atem, help me." Yugi whispered into the cold cement ground before his entire world went dark.

[Atem]

"Pretty here sure is going to be a wild ride." Atem heard as he finally dragged himself out of his semi unconscious state. Atem lifted himself quietly off the ground just as he saw one of the three guys lift Yugi's limp form over his shoulder. Grabbing two empty beer bottles off the ground Atem cracked them over the two guys, that weren't holding Yugi, heads.

Hearing the two audible thumps, the guy holding Yugi turned around. Atem let the necks of the bottles slip from his hands to fall to the ground where they shattered all over the two guys' shoes. The guy let Yugi slip from his back where he crumpled to the ground. Atem looked at Yugi's still form, his eyes lighting up with anger as he trained them back on the man in front of him.

"You're going to pay for that." Atem promised discarding his jacket so it wouldn't get in the way.

"I'd like to see you try to make me." He taunted right before Atem swung his fist into his jaw. He glared at Atem as he spit some blood onto the ground before taking a swing at him which Atem easily dodged and kicked him in the stomach. He skidded back a little his foot catching Yugi's chin and sending his head back with a sickening cracking noise.

The man took advantage of the distraction and punched him in the joint between his shoulder and right arm. Atem heard and audible pop and he winced at the pain. His shoulder had defiantly been dislocated. Atem punched him in the side of the head and then kicked him in the stomach again. This time when he went skidding back he literally tripped over Yugi, kicking him in the throat. Atem grimaced, and the man sneered at him.

"You should be more careful or you might just kill your boyfriend while trying to hurt me."

"You're right; this is a complete waste of my time." Atem said pulling a silver revolver out of the waist of his jeans and shooting the guy in the head. Placing the gun back in its spot, Atem grabbed his jacket, and walking forward he draped it over Yugi's form before awkwardly hoisting Yugi into his one arm. Instead of continuing to walk home, he instead turned and walked back to the Hospital. He hated Hospitals himself, but Yugi needed one. Atem had no clue how badly he had been injured in his semi unconscious state, and he wasn't about to take any chances.

All Atem did was walk into the lobby and a gurney was called immediately by the lady at the front desk for him. With some help from the nurses he placed Yugi upon it and they rolled him away. One of the nurses stayed behind to attend to Atem, noticing the dislocated shoulder. Without warning he popped it back into place.

"Better?" He asked.

"Loads." Atem winced as he rolled his shoulder before whipping out his phone to call Marik.

_"__Where the fuck are you?" Marik yelled over the line._

"Hello to you too. I'm at the Hospital Yugi and I ran into a bit of trouble. Strange thing is I think he fought back against the three thugs. I mean he had defensive wounds on his hands, his knuckles to be exact." Atem said.

_"__You found him then?" Marik asked not really concerned._

"Yes."

_"__Where?"_

"The Kame Game Shop. He spent the night in his _real_ _home_ as he called it." Atem said lazily as he sat down in a chair in the lobby.

_"__When are to going to be back?"Marik asked concerned._

"No idea, Yugi was pretty beaten up." Atem said. He wondered what this was going to do for their already fragile relationship, if you could call it that.

_"__Well you better bring him and yourself back in one piece you hear?"Marik told him._

"Yes, Mom." Atem replied.

"Yugi Mutou?" a nurse asked coming into the lobby.

"I gotta go; I'll call to let you know how things are going." Atem said standing up.

_"__You better."Marik threatened lightly before hanging up._

Pocketing his phone Atem walked up to the nurse.

"You got lucky. Mr. Mutou only has a few bruised ribs, torn knuckles, a black eye, and his vocal chords have been bruised as well. He shouldn't try to talk for a couple of days. Other than that, he's all good, but we want to keep him over night just to make sure there are no further problems." The nurse explained as she walked him to the room that Yugi was in.

"Of course I understand. Is it all right if I stay with him?" Atem asked looking through the door at the still unconscious form of Yugi.

"That's probably best. These streets aren't the safest around here, and a gunshot was heard not too long ago, so yes, stay the night." She said kindly patting him on the arm before leaving.

Atem pulled up a chair next to Yugi's bedside and prepared himself for an uncomfortable night of sleep. Just as he was about to close his own eyes he heard a whisper of a voice. His eyes flew open to look at Yugi whose eyes were partially open and staring at him.

"Thanks, Atem." he whispered before closing his eyes and going back to sleep. Atem smiled; discarding the chair he lifted the blanket slightly and scooted Yugi over to lie next to him.

"You're welcome, Yugi." he whispered back before falling asleep himself, Yugi safely in his arms where Atem felt he belonged.

**Thanks PW and Rei for the ideas. Thank you to everyone who are/have following/favorited this story. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review. Midnight ;p**


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